Aston Villa continued their impressive Champions League campaign with a 3-1 victory over Viking FK, extending their remarkable home record in European competition despite Unai Emery having limited options at full-back.
Ross Barkley and Emiliano Buendia scored in the first half before Henrik Heggheim’s own goal after the break helped Villa secure a third consecutive win in the competition. Peter Christiansen scored a late consolation for the Norwegian visitors, preventing Villa from taking sole possession of top spot in the league table.
The result marked Villa’s 12th consecutive home victory in European competition. The club have also become the second-fastest team to reach 20 Champions League wins, counting both the previous format and the current competition structure, according to the report.
Emery’s tactical gamble pays off despite defensive absences
Villa went into the match without injured full-backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri, while Matty Cash and Ian Maatsen were only fit enough to start on the bench.
Emery responded by selecting a side without a natural full-back in the starting line-up. João Gomes operated on the right but moved into midfield whenever Villa had possession, creating a fluid system that proved effective against Viking.
Nicolas Jackson had early opportunities to put the hosts ahead but sent two headers straight at goalkeeper Arild Ostbø. Gomes then saw a cross deflected onto the post by Gianni Stensness as Villa began to build pressure.
Viking failed to heed the warning. Buendia found space near the post to head an Ibrahim Mbaye corner wide before Barkley made the breakthrough with a run that went untracked by the visitors’ defence.
The midfielder met the ball with a header and guided it over Ostbø to give Villa the lead.
Buendia converts from the penalty spot
Villa could have extended their advantage earlier, but Buendia missed a close-range header after Alysson’s effort was deflected into his path. The Argentine then sent another attempt straight at Ostbø from a corner.
He made no mistake when Villa were awarded a penalty eight minutes before half-time.
Alysson attempted to squeeze between two defenders and was brought down by Zlatko Tripić. Referee Sebastian Gishamer initially waved away the appeals, but VAR official Alan Kijas advised him to review the incident on the pitchside monitor.
After checking the footage, the referee awarded the spot-kick. Buendia sent Ostbø the wrong way to double Villa’s lead.
The goal gave Emery’s side a comfortable advantage heading into the interval, although there were still opportunities to put the result beyond doubt.
Alysson causes problems as Villa seal the win
Viking showed greater attacking intent after the break, with Tobias Moi registering the visitors’ first attempt on target. His effort, however, was directed straight at Zion Suzuki.
Villa continued to look the more dangerous side. Buendia was denied by Ostbø after a low cross from Alysson, who then received a pass over the top from John McGinn and used his pace to get beyond a defender before shooting wide of the far post.
Alysson remained a constant threat. During another Villa attack, the winger escaped his marker and attempted to find Jackson with a cross. The ball took a decisive deflection off Heggheim and ended up in the net, making it 3-0.
The Brazilian nearly added an assist soon afterwards. Following a Viking corner, Aston Villa broke forward and Alysson helped create a chance for Jackson, but the striker sent his effort over the crossbar.
Substitute Alejandro Garnacho also came close to scoring a spectacular goal before Christiansen struck late for Viking. The consolation goal denied Villa a clean sheet and left them sharing the top position in the Champions League table.
Aston Villa remain in a strong position
With three wins from three matches, Aston Villa have made an excellent start to their Champions League campaign and strengthened their position in the race to finish among the top eight.
Their next match in the competition will be away against Barcelona. Paris Saint-Germain, who are also level with Villa at the top of the table, are scheduled to visit Villa Park in December.
Despite the late concession, Emery will take encouragement from another European victory, particularly given the shortage of natural full-backs available to him.
The Aston Villa News BR verdict
Aston Villa 3-1 win over Viking was another demonstration of Emery’s ability to find solutions when his squad faces selection problems. Without their usual full-back options available from the start, Villa adapted their shape and controlled much of the contest.
Buendia’s penalty, Barkley’s opener and the pressure created by Alysson gave the hosts enough attacking quality to secure the three points. The late goal was frustrating, especially with a potential clean sheet within reach, but it did little to diminish the significance of a third straight Champions League victory.
Aston Villa now have an excellent platform to pursue a place in the top eight. The upcoming trip to Barcelona will provide a much sterner test, but this performance showed that Emery’s side can remain effective even when circumstances force him to improvise.
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