Lille vs Aston Villa

Ollie Watkins rose highest to nod Aston Villa to a hard-fought 1-0 first-leg victory over Lille in the Europa League Round of 16 on Thursday night. His looping header from Emi Buendia's clever flick-on in the 61st minute was the decisive moment in an otherwise cagey affair at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. The first half was a scrappy, forgettable watch — neither side managed a shot on target. Olivier Giroud came closest for the hosts with a near-miss from close range just before the break, but clear-cut chances were scarce. Once Watkins broke the deadlock, Villa smelled blood. Amadou Onana rattled the crossbar from distance moments later, and Watkins himself squandered a one-on-one before Buendia fired an acrobatic effort just wide. Lille pushed late but found Emi Martinez in resolute form. The result ends a difficult run for Watkins, who had managed just one goal in his previous 12 outings. Villa take a precious lead back to Villa Park for the second leg on March 19, with a quarter-final against Bologna or Roma awaiting the winners.