Jimoh-Aloba On Target As Aston Villa Beat Red Bull Salzburg 3-2
Aston Villa fought back from 2-0 down to beat Red Bull Salzburg and finish second in the Europa League league phase, but Ollie Watkins was forced off to compound their injury issues.
Karim Konate and Moussa Yeo had put the visitors in charge, before Morgan Rogers cut the deficit and Tyrone Mings levelled with 15 minutes remaining, then 19-year-old Jimoh-Aloba struck late on.
However, striker Watkins came off with a hamstring problem and could now join the injured John McGinn and Youri Tielemans on the sidelines, with Boubacar Kamara already out for the season.
Villa’s injury woes meant Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott came in from the cold for his first appearance in almost four months.
He nearly scored within 30 seconds, only for the diving Alexander Schlager to make a fortunate stop with his heel, before the visitors took control.
Emi Martinez made a double save to deny Soumaila Diabate and Konate before Villa conceded a calamitous opener.
Mings was robbed by Edmund Baidoo and Konate’s awful shot with the goal gaping looked to be going wide before being turned in by Victor Lindelof.
Within four minutes of the restart substitute Yeo flicked in Salzburg’s second, but Rogers pulled a goal back just after the hour – after Sota Kitano should have made it 3-0 – and Mings atoned for his error by heading in with 14 minutes left.
Substitute Jimoh-Aloba then grabbed an 87th-minute winner when he found the corner from 15 yards.