Aston Villa 4-0 Ajax: Unai Emery’s side move into Europa Conference League quarter-finals

Aston Villa thrashed Ajax at a raucous Villa Park to move into the Europa Conference League quarter-finals – their first look within the final eight of a serious European competitors since 1998.

After it completed 0-0 within the first leg within the Netherlands, Watkins scored his twenty second membership objective of the season in all competitions when he fantastically headed in Douglas Luiz’s right-wing nook within the twenty fifth minute.

However, the England striker, named earlier on Thursday in Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad for the Wembley friendlies towards Brazil and Belgium, then wanted prolonged remedy for an damage and went off late within the first half.

Four-time European champions Ajax almost scored an equaliser within the fifth minute of first-half damage time, however Matty Cash did excellently to clear Brian Brobbey’s effort off the road with keeper Emiliano Martinez nicely overwhelmed.

Ajax had been captained by England midfielder Jordan Henderson in his first membership match within the nation since leaving Liverpool final summer season to affix Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq, solely to then move to Ajax in January.

But Henderson misplaced possession within the build-up to Villa’s second objective, with Bailey producing nice talent and two stepovers to create area earlier than drilling into the web.

Ajax had midfielder Sivert Mannsverk despatched off for 2 bookable offences within the 66th minute and Duran blasted in a 3rd objective, with the ball stepping into off the underside of the crossbar. Diaby slotted in a fourth 9 minutes from time to verify their progress.

The draw for the Europa Conference League quarter-finals, semi-finals and closing will all happen on Friday, 15 March from 13:00 GMT at Uefa’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland and you may comply with reside textual content commentary on the BBC Sport web site.

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