Aston Villa maintained English interest in the UEFA Cup last night with a magnificent display against the highly-rated Basques of Athletic Bilbao. Villa belied their recent indifferent form in the Premiership to earn their third round place courtesy of goals from Ian Taylor and Dwight Yorke. With 20 minutes remaining Bilbao's substitute Javier Gonzalez halved the lead, but Villa held on to become England's sole survivors in the third round.
Amid the unrest that had descended on Villa after the verbal exchange between their manager Brian Little and his captain Gareth Southgate, who had criticised the club last weekend, it was a notable result against a club unbeaten in eight Spanish League games this season.
Savo Milosevic had the ball in the net twice in the first eight minutes, but both efforts were disallowed, the first for pushing Bilbao's defender Roberto Rios and the second for offside, with the Villa striker booked, apparently for time-wasting.
When Milosevic chased a pass from steve Staunton there appeared little danger for the visitors. The Serb cleverly skipped past the tackle of Rafael Alkorta, but his centre appeared to be far too close to Etxeberria. However, quite inexplicably, the goalkeeper dropped the ball; it rolled just beyond the onrushing Dwight Yorke, but fell invitingly into the path of Ian Taylor, who had the easiest task of shooting home into the empty net from only six yards. It was Villa's first goal since Taylor scored in the defeat by Wimbledon in mid-October.
Little had maintained before the game that one goal might be enough to secure victory. He remembered only too well the bitter disappointment of defeat by Helsingborgs on the away-goals rule in this competition a year ago.
However, Villa looked more confident than for a long time, and their endeavours were rewarded five minutes after half-time when they doubled their advantage. Alan Wright began the move wide on the left, making ground up the flank before slipping the ball inside to Taylor. The midfielder helped the ball on to Yorke, who cleverly wrongfooted Larrazaba before shooting low into the corner of the net from just outside the area. It was Yorke's fourth goal of the season, but his first in nine games.
Bilbao, in a last desperate attempt to get themselves back into the game, threw men forward and Bosnich was twice called on to save close-range headers from Urzaiz. But overall Villa's defenders looked solid and in control against the Spanish invasion.
However, in the 68th minute Gonzalez came on for Josu Urrutia and within two minutes of his introduction he gave the visitors hope. Ifigo Larrainzar sent over a speculative cross from the right which Taylor's header only half-cleared; the ball fell invitingly to Gonzalez, who hit a low shot from 20 yards which deflected off Southgate beyond Bosnich and into the bottom corner.
Aston Villa: Bosnich, Charles, Staunton, Southgate, Wright, Scimeca, Taylor, Draper, Milosevic, Yorke, Nelson (Grayson 87). Subs Not Used: Ehiogu, Collymore, Joachim, Curcic, Hughes, Oakes. Booked: Milosevic. Goals: Taylor 27, Yorke 50.
Athletic Bilbao: I Etxeberria, Rios, Urzaiz, Alkarta, Larrainzar, Urrutia (Gonzalez 69), Alkiza, Ferreira (Lasa 55), Ziganda (Guerroro 53), Larrazabal, J Etxeberria. Subs Not Used: Goikoetxea, Lacruz, Nagore, Valencia. Booked: Rios, Alkarta. Goal: Gonzalez 70.
Referee: S Piller (Hungary).
