A peculiar handball decision brought an end to Aston Villa’s successful streak in the Champions League on Wednesday, as they fell 1-0 to Club Brugge.
In a parallel match, Shakhtar Donetsk’s playmaker Heorhiy Sudakov showcased his talent, contributing both a superb assist and a stunning goal in his team’s 2-1 victory over Young Boys.
Aston Villa had enjoyed a strong start to their Champions League campaign, sitting atop the 36-team standings after securing three consecutive wins without conceding a single goal. However, a surreal incident led to a penalty that would see their goalkeeper, Emi Martínez, finally breached.
Villa defender Tyrone Mings was penalized for handling the ball while attempting to collect it after Martínez had seemingly initiated play with a short goal kick to him. Mings took a few steps forward to grab the ball with his left hand before placing it back at the six-yard box’s corner.
The referee awarded a penalty, which Brugge’s captain, Hans Vanaken, converted in the 52nd minute, placing the ball to Martínez’s left as the World Cup-winning goalkeeper dove the other way. Martínez attempted to argue with referee Tobias Stieler post-match, insisting that the infringement was unwarranted.
Following this defeat, Villa now occupies the fifth position in the standings, which are currently led by Liverpool. Inter Milan, Arsenal, and Brest could potentially surpass Unai Emery’s squad with victories later in the day, as Inter faced Arsenal at the San Siro.
Club Brugge stands at six points from two wins and two losses, holding a provisional 20th place, which would qualify them for the knockout round playoffs after eight rounds in January.
Meanwhile, Shakhtar’s Sudakov demonstrated his value in the match against Young Boys, validating his reputation as a potential high-profile transfer for the club. Both teams entered the match without having scored a goal in the initial three rounds of the new league phase.
Swiss champions Young Boys, currently struggling in 10th place in their league, surprisingly took an early lead in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, where Shakhtar is hosting its Champions League games amid the ongoing military conflict involving Russia.
Young Boys capitalized on a slip-up by Shakhtar’s defense in the 27th minute, with Kastriot Imeri firing a low shot from the penalty area’s fringe. However, Shakhtar quickly responded, leveling the score just four minutes later thanks to Sudakov’s precise pass, which found Oleksandr Zubkov for an easy tap-in.
In the 41st minute, Sudakov exhibited his skill by creating space and slamming home a low shot from 20 yards into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Marvin Keller with no chance.
Following the match, Shakhtar lies outside the playoff positions in 26th, accumulating four points, while Young Boys sits in 35th place, being one of the six teams yet to register a point.