Martínez’s two-card trick helps Villa edge through on penalties
Long before Emiliano Martínez was booked for time-wasting 39 minutes into this tempestuous knockout tie, there was an air of inevitability that the Aston Villa goalkeeper would prove the hero. So he was, with Martínez saving superbly from Nabil Bentaleb and Benjamin André in a 4-3 penalty shootout victory after Matty Cash’s speculative late strike prevented Lille from advancing and took the game to extra time. Martínez was mobbed by his teammates, Morgan Rogers jumping for a piggyback as Villa’s players charged towards their delirious supporters. That, however, is only half of the story.
The whole game boiled down to a ludicrous crescendo, Martínez the centre of attention. Of course, he relished being the pantomime villain as he took on a French team for the first time since his World Cup heroics for Argentina in Qatar, and he was up to his old tricks. His every touch was jeered from the off by the locals and, already on a booking, he was cautioned again by the referee, Ivan Kruzliak, during the spot-kicks after being warned for gamesmanship but avoided being sent off and leaving Villa without a goalkeeper for the rest of the shootout because cautions are not carried forward into penalties. At the time, nobody seemed too sure.
After saving from Bentaleb, Martínez turned to shush the Lille supporters behind his goal and then incited the crowd further as Ollie Watkins moseyed forwards to take his spot-kick. At that point the referee had a word with Martínez and then, moments later, saw fit to flash another yellow card in his direction after his continued efforts to antagonise the home fans. Martínez conceded his reputation went before him, insisting his opposite number, Lucas Chevalier, was also guilty of time-wasting during the tie.
“It was my destiny to win here,” Martínez said. “I always say all in my career, I owe my teammates in those moments, even when we were watching Real Madrid last night the manager was saying we might go to penalties and in those moments I own my box.”
So, Villa are into the semi-finals of a major European tournament for the first time since 1982. Before the shootout, Unai Emery frantically gestured for calm. Who, really, was the Villa manager kidding? As Martínez strolled around his box with the ball at his feet with 118 minutes gone, successfully riling the home support for the umpteenth time, it was almost as if he was playing for penalties. He undoubtedly backs himself and his antics again paid dividends.
Until Matty Cash’s deflected strike nestled in the top corner on 87 minutes, via a kind deflection off a Lille defender, Villa were heading out, trailing to a fine first-time strike by Yusuf Yazici and an André header. In truth, they could have had few complaints. But Lucas Digne, who started his career at Lille, looped a high ball in from the left and the goalkeeper Chevalier, under pressure from the Villa substitute Jhon Durán, flapped at it as he went to claim the cross. Bentaleb, the former Tottenham midfielder, inadvertently collided with Chevalier amid the desperation to clear the danger and Cash
nd let rip when the ball dropped to him outside the box.
Villa arrived off the back of arguably their biggest result of the season, an impressive victory at Arsenal, but they never got close to repeating that performance. It was 11 minutes into the second half when Cash, one of two Villa changes, had their first legitimate effort on goal, crashing a shot against the side netting after latching on to a John McGinn backheel. Cash tried his luck from distance approaching full time and a few minutes later he hit the jackpot.
Even McGinn, one of Villa’s most consistent performers, endured an off day and, aside from being Villa’s captain, there was little surprise when Durán entered in his place with 10 minutes of regular time to run. Douglas Luiz, suspended for the trip to Arsenal, sent a free-kick sailing into the gloves of Chevalier on the verge of half-time. Digne did similar. Martínez enjoyed every minute.
“We have time,” Leon Bailey repeatedly told his teammates, gesturing towards the big screens at either end after replacing the ineffective Moussa Diaby with 68 minutes on the clock. How Bailey’s words rang true. Cash levelled and Villa stirred. Chevalier made an extraordinary save to prevent Douglas Luiz nodding in during extra time.
The Brazilian dragged his shirt over his face in disbelief, but the drama was only just beginning.