Aston Villa Spank Basel 2-1 In Europa League
Aston Villa’s remarkable run continued as Unai Emery’s side beat Basel to make it eight wins out of eight – their longest winning run as a top-flight side since 1914.
Emery named a much-changed line-up for the Europa League game after the weekend’s last-gasp Premier League win over leaders Arsenal, but Evann Guessand’s second goal since signing from Nice in the summer put them on their way in Switzerland.
The hosts, watched by Swiss tennis great Roger Federer, were level after Flavius Daniliuc flicked home after a clever free-kick by former Liverpool and Stoke midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri.
For the third successive game, Villa’s decisive goal came from a substitute.
After Donyell Malen scored his side’s fourth in a seven-goal thriller at Brighton and Arsenal were felled by Emiliano Buendia’s late goal, Youri Tielemans climbed off the bench to fire Villa to a fifth win in Europe this season.
Tielemans struck from inside the D for his first club goal since May, after Buendia rolled the ball into his path.
Villa’s latest win keeps them on course for the last 16, with 15 points from six games and matches away to Fenerbahce and at home to Red Bull Salzburg to come.
“After the last matches, a lot of wars,” said a proud Emery afterwards.
“Brilliant wars for us. After our victory against Arsenal, it is not easy to recover our spirit and structure and mentality to keep the same hard work.
“We struggled today and the last 10 minutes they were close to drawing. But I am happy with how we got this victory.”
