2nd October, 2024
Aston Villa pulled off a stunning 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, thanks to Jhon Duran’s late winner at Villa Park.
The triumph echoed Villa‘s 1982 European Cup final win over the same opponents.
Bayern dominated possession early on, but Villa’s disciplined defence held strong. Joshua Kimmich’s creative playmaking and Serge Gnabry’s pace threatened, but Villa’s Kim Min-jae and Ollie Watkins caused problems for the Bayern backline.
Villa Park erupted when Pau Torres’ goal was disallowed for offside, and injuries to Jacob Ramsey and Amadou Onana tested Villa’s resilience.
However, Unai Emery’s side remained unbreakable, with Torres blocking multiple attempts and Emiliano Martínez making crucial saves.
The decisive moment came when Duran, introduced from the bench, latched onto Torres’ long ball and beat Manuel Neuer with an outstanding finish.
Martínez then denied Gnabry and Harry Kane in the dying moments to secure a famous win.
It was Villa’s 7th consecutive match unbeaten across all competitions and Bayern’s first defeat in 42 champions league matches at the group stage.
The game is also Villa’s 2nd win from two champions league games this season.
Vincent Kompany’s Bayern suffered their first defeat under his leadership, while Unai Emery’s Villa celebrated a historic victory.
