As the jeopardy increases the longer the tournament goes on, a cagey first half was perhaps to be expected in Lille.
However, the extent of both teams’ toothlessness prior to the break was surprising, especially considering the hosts had won three of their past four games prior to kick-off and Villa had a week to prepare for this encounter after a rare free weekend.
The lack of care and application in the final third will have worried both managers, and those in attendance had to wait until the 40th minute to see the game’s first real shot, when Morgan Rogers fired well over the crossbar from distance.
There were some signs of life as half-time beckoned, but Emiliano Martinez’s parry from Romain Perraud’s long-range strike was the only time either goalkeeper was tested before the interval.
Those hoping for an improved start to the second period were left disappointed.
Again, the teams struggled to create any notable opportunities, with a wayward Rogers effort the closest either side came before the hour mark.
However, out of nowhere, Aston Villa took the lead through Ollie Watkins' first goal of this year’s competition.
The opener was in keeping with the rest of the match - Ezri Konsa’s long, hopeful ball was somehow flicked on by Emiliano Buendía, one of the shortest players on the pitch, allowing Watkins to nod over Berke Ozer.
Shortly after, the Villans were close to doubling their advantage in a more impressive fashion, but Amadou Onana’s curling strike from outside the box hit the crossbar.
Having failed to exert any kind of pressure before conceding, going behind did little to add any attacking spark for the hosts. They saw plenty of the ball in the final stages but could do nothing with it besides a Matias Fernandez-Pardo attempt that was pushed away by Martínez.
Therefore, Villa were able to hold onto their lead relatively comfortably, putting them in pole position to progress ahead of the second leg at Villa Park next week.
Lille, meanwhile, have now won just two of their past nine home games in all competitions and suffered a second consecutive loss in front of their own supporters for the first time ever.
More importantly, though, they now travel to Birmingham behind in the tie, knowing that they must do more offensively to have any chance of reaching the last eight.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
