Aston Villa’s winning run hit a bump on Thursday night as they lost 2–1 to Go Ahead Eagles in a rainy UEFA Europa League clash. The Villans, fresh off a 2–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, were hoping to keep their momentum rolling, Softfootball reported. But the Dutch underdogs had other ideas.
Villa started strong. Just four minutes in, striker Evann Guessand tapped home his first goal for the club, giving the visitors an early lead.
Unai Emery’s men dominated possession, creating chance after chance. But Go Ahead Eagles’ goalkeeper, Jari De Busser, stood tall with a string of stunning saves to keep his team in the game.
The turning point came when Go Ahead Eagles made a key substitution. Gerrit Nauber was shown a yellow card in the 14th minute for committing a foul. To reduce that risk and avoid playing with 10 men, Go Ahead Eagles’ coach decided to substitute him immediately, bringing on Calvin Twigt. That change shifted the momentum.
Just before halftime, in the 42nd minute, Mathis Suray found the net for the hosts, assisted by the Twigt. The equaliser sent the small but noisy stadium into wild celebrations.
After the break, the Dutch side kept pushing. In the 61st minute, Mats Deijl latched onto a long ball, controlled it calmly, and lifted a shot over Villa’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to make it 2–1. Now it was Go Ahead Eagles’ turn to lead.
Villa threw everything at the hosts in response. Emery sent on five substitutes: John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Donyell Malen, Morgan Rogers, and Matty Cash – who recently joined the club on a loan deal, to spark a comeback. Their big chance came in the 79th minute when they won a penalty. But playmaker Emiliano Buendía, usually so reliable, sent his spot-kick soaring over the crossbar. It was a crushing miss.
Despite late pressure, including a shot from Rogers that rattled the post, Go Ahead Eagles dug deep. Substitute Robbin Weijenberg even picked up a yellow card for time-wasting as the hosts held on for a famous victory.
The 2–1 win was a huge moment for Go Ahead Eagles, showcasing their teamwork, determination, and never-say-die spirit. For Aston Villa, the loss ends their five-game winning streak and marks their first Europa League defeat this season.
They shared on their verifed X handle the final results.
While they still sit on six points in the group, the result dampens the mood at the club. Next up is a daunting Premier League clash against Manchester City at Villa Park on Sunday—a game where they’ll
