Legia Warszaw 3-2 Aston Villa: Ernest Muci dazzles as Unai Emery's side beaten on return to European competition

Defensive sloppiness defined Aston Villa’s return to European competition for the first time in over a decade, as they began their UEFA Europa Conference League campaign with a defeat to Legia Warszaw.

The away side started confidently, and looked strong with the ball, but vulnerable without it.

Legia easily found their way through the Villa defence on multiple occasions, finishing strongly to clinch the three points with a goal early in the second half.

The home side had opened the scoring inside 10 minutes, splitting the Villa line with one of their first possessions, as Pawel Wszolek latched onto a cross and guided the ball past the 'keeper.

Villa were back in it in less than two minutes, Jhon Duran heading home when the ball came back off the bar after a shot from Nicolo Zaniolo.

Legia went in front again on 25 minutes as the Villa defence allowed themselves to be sliced open and Ernest Muci tucked the ball home past Emi Martinez’s right hand.

Their lead lasted longer second time around, but Villa equalised again from a top corner strike by Lucas Digne to take the teams in level at half-time.

Despite Emery making all his changes, the match was decided early on in the second half by a goal from Legia of a similar type to the first two.

Villa's defenders allowed Muci to run at them and fire off a shot hard and low to the goalkeeper’s left, to ensure the away side went back to Birmingham empty handed.

Villa boss Unai Emery might rue his decision to play an inexperienced back four, or at least one that lacked match fitness, as the defenders repeatedly failed to pick up their runners and allowed Legia's Muci to dance through the line. Despite looking confident on the ball, and passing out nicely from the back, as soon as Legia were running at them the Villa four appeared terrified. They sat off, gave the Legia forwards all the space they could have wanted and were rightly punished.

The Albanian menaced the Villa back line, making the most of every opportunity he was given, and creating several for himself when he wasn't. He might wish he'd be allowed to stay on and go for his hat-trick but more goals will surely come in this competition.

LEGIA WARSZAWA: Tobiasz 4, Pankov 5, Kapuadi 4, Ribeiro 5, Wszolek 7, Slisz 7, Elitim, Kun 6, Josue 6, Gual 7, Muci 8. Subs: Pekhart 6, Celhaka 6, Baku 5, Rosolek 5

ASTON VILLA: Martinez 5, Chambers 3, Konsa 3, Lenglet 4, Digne 5, McGinn 6, Kamara 6, Tielemans , Zaniolo, Bailey 7, Duran 7. Subs: Cash 5, Douglas Luiz 6, Watkins 6, Diaby 5, Ramsey 6

4' - GOAL! - Legia 1 - 0 Villa. Villa caught out early on. A lovely delivery across from the left by full back, met by Wszolek who just guides it past the 'keeper on the volley.
6' - GOAL! - Legia 1 - 1 Villa. Duran with a great header to level things. He reacted well to the ball coming back off the bar after a great shot from distance by Nicolo Zaniolo.
25' - GOAL! - Legia 2 - 1 Villa. Villa caught napping, in a 3 v 3. Wszolek did a couple of stepovers and clipped the ball through with ease to Ernest Muci, who tucked it home past Martinez's outstretched right hand.
39' - GOAL! - Legia 2 - 2 Villa. Bouncing back out after a shot from McGinn, the ball lands nicely for Lucas Digne as he's running into the left of the box. The left back lashes it into the top corner with his right foot.
51' - GOAL! - Legia 3 - 2 Villa. Another howler from Villa. Villa's defenders allowed Muci to run at them until he was in the perfect position, and then he had enough room to fire off a whip of shot low into the right corner. Martinez got his fingers to it, but there was nothing he could do.

494 possessions for Villa against 331 for Legia proved that having the ball is no consolation compared to doing something with it

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