Jhon Durán’s audacious lob for Aston Villa catches Neuer and Bayern cold
Aston Villa’s return to the top club stage couldn't have gone better, with substitute Jhon Durán effortlessly sealing the deal against Bayern Munich with an incredible, spontaneous lob. No matter the outcome, this was a night filled with an air of enchantment. As the Champions League anthem echoed through Villa Park for the first time, the stadium fell nearly silent, with home fans collectively tuning in to embrace the moment.
Even though the ticket prices were well-known, this event was the most sought-after in the area, and the celebrations at the end made it clear why. Just minutes after stopping Harry Kane from scoring a late equalizer with a header, Emiliano Martínez pounded the ground with his gloves. As the opening notes of "Hi Ho Silver Lining" played, a smiling Unai Emery hurried down the sideline, clapping for the fans who adore him.
In sharp contrast, the Bayern players shuffled off wearing long cream coats that looked like sleeping bags, left vulnerable to yet another impressive moment from Durán. He’s really creating a highlight reel. This season, Durán has netted five goals as a substitute, four of which have been game-winners. However, considering his incredible strike against Everton, this latest goal might just deserve a special mention. Pau Torres had a goal ruled out for offside in the first half, but once again, Durán came off the bench to secure a win for Villa. His performance even got Prince William out of his seat in the more upscale section, helping Villa maintain their flawless record in this competition. After a 41-year absence, they seem determined to make up for the lost time.
This was the second encounter between these teams, with the first being a memorable match – ending in the same scoreline – during the 1982 European Cup final. In a fitting tribute, the stadium played the Beautiful South's song "Rotterdam" before the game, subtly commemorating Villa’s celebrated victory that remains cherished in the area. On Tuesday evening, Monchi, Villa’s football operations president, and Damian Vidagany, the director of football, took a trip down memory lane with several players from the ‘82 squad. To celebrate Villa’s return to European prominence, a new mural was created featuring Peter Withe, the late Gary Shaw, Emery, Martínez, and Ollie Watkins on a house near Holte Road, adjacent to the Trinity Road Stand.
This event was bound to stir up feelings and memories. The commentary of Withe’s winning goal had been captured on a banner that, until it was relocated to face the dugouts as part of this season's renovations at Villa Park, had been a fixture in the Holte End. The fans greeted the visitors from Bavaria with a friendly welcome before Michael Olise began the match. They introduced themselves with a cheeky chant, singing, “Who the hell are you?”
Bayern is a dominant force in European football, having won six titles. Harry Kane, recovering from an ankle injury sustained against Bayer Leverkusen, was ready to take on the challenge but looked visibly frustrated at times. This was especially clear when Serge Gnabry chose to shoot from a tight angle instead of passing the ball to Kane, who was in a better position. Kane also narrowly escaped a yellow card after a collision with Morgan Rogers just before halftime. The Villa fans breathed a sigh of relief when Kane's free-kick went wide in the 95th minute. Shortly after that, he headed the ball toward the goal, but a startled Martínez managed to deflect it away.
After 22 minutes of play, the England captain was seen among the unhappy visiting players making their way back to the halfway line. Villa's fans erupted in joy when Torres nudged the ball past Manuel Neuer following a brilliant assist from Jaden Philogene off a set piece. However, their excitement was short-lived as Jacob Ramsey, who had to leave the field due to injury shortly after, was deemed offside by VAR. The free-kick was given after Dayot Upamecano brought down Watkins, which highlighted a recurring issue in a vibrant first half—Upamecano seemed to struggle significantly against Watkins.
Joshua Kimmich created Bayern's first chance by delivering a fantastic cross to the far post for Gnabry, who couldn’t find Kane in time. Olise forced a great save from Martínez after sending a curling shot towards the net from 20 yards out. For Villa, both Rogers and Watkins had their opportunities. At one point, Rogers picked up the ball, spun away from three Bayern defenders, and passed to Watkins on his left. Watkins sent the ball across, but Alphonso Davies stepped in to make a clearance, which went to Amadou Onana, whose shot then trickled towards Neuer.
Substituting Jamal Musiala for the underperforming Kingsley Coman at halftime gave Bayern more dominance on the field. They started to connect better and created their first real chance of the second half in the 65th minute. Musiala broke free from three defenders in claret and blue and set up a clever one-two with Kane, but his hurried shot was intercepted by Torres.
In a surprising move, Emery decided to swap out the replacement, bringing Ian Maatsen in for Leon Bailey. Shortly after, around the 70-minute mark, he made a more conventional change by bringing Durán on for Watkins, hoping for another impactful performance from his trusted substitute. And as expected, it happened seamlessly.
Torres sent a quick pass to the 20-year-old, who moved close to Upamecano to get himself in position before launching a bouncing ball over Neuer, who was left unguarded. With this goal, Durán has scored six times in just nine matches this season. Villa fans are sure to remember this precise strike, much like they did with Withe's famous shot back in '82.
