Having spent most of the season linked with various moves to the Continent, Savo Milosevic helped secure a European passage by a different route last night.
The Yugoslav striker's well-taken goal 19 minutes from time gave Aston Villa confidence that they would provide a British presence in the UEFA Cup quarterfinals next March, and Ian Taylor's solo effort on the break five minutes from time made certain.
Villa had started the night without their inspirational striker Dwight Yorke, who had failed a noon test on a calf injury.
Yet, Villa - needing to score to capitalise on their away goal in the first leg - approached this task purposefully, patiently and with a spirit not often seen at Villa Park this season.
Taylor unleashed one volley from the right corner of the Steaua area which Zoltan Ritli acrobatically punched over. Then Valeriu Rachita's foul on Taylor brought a free-kick within Steve Staunton's range just outside the area on the right, but the Ireland defender's curling shot failed to dip enough and hit the bar.
As if stirred by this sudden flurry of chances, Stan Collymore sprang to life. On 21 minutes the frustratingly inconsistent striker picked up the ball on the left of the area and with a sudden change of pace weaved past two defenders before unloading a close-range shot which Ritli did well to parry away. Three minutes later Collymore volleyed Mark Draper's right-wing cross over.
Draper soon found himself in an identical position but his header, this time from Collymore's cross, also sailed over the bar.
Mark Bosnich had hardly been troubled throughout all this attacking, but as the half drew to a close the crowd started to give vent to their growing anxieties.
Their worries deepened four minutes after the interval when Steaua came ominously close to the away goal that would have killed the tie.
The Romanians' veteran international Marius Lacatus quickly fed the first-leg's double scorer Cristian Ciocoiu down the left. Though the speed of the break allowed Ciocoiu to find Darian Militaru unmarked in the area, the shot was too close to Bosnich, who parried it away.
Villa came back impressively after that close shave and Ritli did superbly to smother Taylor's downward header by the post. Minutes later the lanky midfielder shot narrowly over from Mi losevic's pass.
Little threw on the teenaged forward Lee Hendrie for Simon Grayson on 63 minutes but it was the more experienced Milosevic who brought the 35,000-strong crowd to its feet.
Collymore had just seen a chip cleared off the line when on 71 minutes Staunton launched a long ball forward from inside his own half and the striker's leap confused the defence. The ball came to Milosevic on the right of the area and he dispatched it, to be followed by Taylor's insurance goal.
Aston Villa: Bosnich, Charles, Staunton, Southgate, Wright, Ehiogu, Taylor, Draper (Nelson 83), Milosevic, Collymore, Grayson (Hendrie 62). Subs not used: Joachim, Oakes, Curcic, Scimeca, Collins. Booked: Southgate. Goals: Milosevic 71, Taylor 85.
Steaua Bucharest: Ritli, Reghecampf, Csik, Rachita (Lincar 88), Matei, Miu, Rotariu, Militaru, Munteanu, Lacatus (Luca 68), Ciocoiu (Hrib 77). Subs not used: Vaciu, Gherasim, Raducan, Mazacu.
Referee: B Heynemann (Germany).
