Aston Villa lay down marker with first-leg win at Club Brugge

Aston Villa hit two goals in the final 10 minutes to put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals after a 3-1 win against Club Brugge in the last-16 first leg.

Villa are enjoying a dream debut season in Europe's premier club competition and only a second-leg collapse on home soil next Wednesday will deny them a last-eight meeting with either Liverpool or Paris St Germain.

The tone for a glorious night in Belgium was set after just 135 seconds when Leon Bailey fizzed his side in front.

Maxim De Cuyper had brought Brugge level in the 12th minute and for a long time it looked like it would end all square.

But Brandon Mechele's 82nd-minute own goal was followed by Marco Asensio's penalty six minutes later as Villa grabbed the tie with both hands.

FULL MATCH DETAILS

Boss Unai Emery has been at pains to insist his side are not favourites but Villa fans will be daring to dream after a famous night.

There was also a moment of redemption for Tyrone Mings 118 days after his embarrassing error, where he inexplicably picked up a goal kick in the penalty area, sent Villa to defeat here in November's league phase match.

He set up Bailey's opener and then produced a sensational goal-saving clearance which swung the balance of the match.

Mings' night got off to a much better start than last time he was at the Jan Breydelstadion as he helped Villa into the lead with less than three minutes on the clock.

He headed Youri Tielemans' free-kick back across goal and Bailey produced a fine first-time finish into the bottom corner.

Marcus Rashford, still searching for that elusive first goal for his new club, was denied by the legs of Simon Mignolet after a one-two with Bailey.

It had been a positive start but it was undone as Brugge scored all