Match ends, Lille 2(3), Aston Villa 1(4).
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery thought Emiliano Martinez had been sent off in a chaotic penalty shootout against Lille before the goalkeeper made the save that sent his side through to their first major European semi-final since 1982.
In an extraordinary shootout after the tie ended 3-3 on aggregate after extra time, Villa keeper Martinez - who had been booked earlier for time-wasting - was shown another yellow card for appearing to gesture to home fans.
Martinez, who had already kept out Nabil Bentaleb's penalty, was allowed to carry on as his initial booking was not carried over into the shootout.
The Argentina World Cup winner then went on to keep out Benjamin Andre's attempt as Villa won 4-3 on penalties to advance to the last four.
Martinez then ran virtually the whole length of the pitch to celebrate in front of Villa's jubilant 2,600 travelling fans.
Asked whether he and his players thought Martinez had been dismissed in the shootout, Emery said: "Yes. He is very important for us.
"On the pitch he has his personality and he played fantastic. He saved two penalty shots so of course I am very proud of him."
Earlier in the shootout, Ollie Watkins was made to wait to take his penalty as there were two balls on the pitch before the England forward stepped up to score.
On a dramatic night in northern France, Emery's side were three minutes from going out after goals by Yusuf Yazici and Benjamin Andre wiped out Villa's 2-1 advantage from the first leg.
But Matty Cash's 87th-minute deflected strike - after goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier had dropped a cross - made it 3-3 on aggregate and forced extra time which did not produce any further goals leaving the tie to be decided by penalties.
Aston Villa will face Olympiakos in the semi-final after they defeated Fenerbahce on penalties later on Thursday.
- Reaction from Lille v Aston Villa, plus the rest of Thursday's European action
- More reaction and analysis on our dedicated Aston Villa page
Martinez ignores the jeers
Martinez had been jeered throughout the game by Lille fans after his penalty heroics in Argentina's World Cup final victory over France in 2022.
He was shown his first yellow card of the game in the first half for time-wasting, and there was confusion inside the ground when the Villa keeper was allowed to carry on after being booked again during the shootout - as the rules state yellow cards are not carried over into penalties.
"Yesterday you [the media] were all asking me about the reception he [Martinez] will get here in France and you could see it throughout the game," added Emery.
"He is very experienced and he was trying to control his emotions but the supporters were pushing him. I believe in him and he is mature but with personality. He is always under his own control."
Martinez defended his actions after the game.
"It's all about reputation for time-wasting because the other goalie was doing exactly the same thing," he told TNT Sports.
"I got a yellow after 30 minutes and we were losing the game so I don't know what the ref wants from me.
"Then there was no ball in the penalty spot and I was asking for a ball from the ball boy and I get booked; I just don't understand the rules.
"I am a believer and a hard worker and it was my destiny today."
It all added to the drama as Villa dug deep to ensure one English club will compete in a European semi-final this season after Manchester City and Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday, and Liverpool and West Ham exited the Europa League on Thursday.
This was not Villa's finest display by any stretch of the imagination but they managed to stay in the tie when 2-0 down before Cash provided a late lifeline.
The Europa Conference League might be Uefa's third-tier competition but Villa are enjoying the ride.
By staying in it, they remain on course for a top-four finish in the Premier League and a first major European trophy for 42 years in Emery's first full season in charge.
Player of the match
E MartínezEmiliano Martínez
Lille
Avg
- Squad number12Player nameYaziciAverage rating
6.23
- Squad number5Player nameGudmundssonAverage rating
6.04
- Squad number30Player nameChevalierAverage rating
6.01
- Squad number6Player nameBentalebAverage rating
5.97
- Squad number22Player nameTiago SantosAverage rating
5.96
- Squad number21Player nameAndréAverage rating
5.95
- Squad number9Player nameDavidAverage rating
5.95
- Squad number15Player nameYoroAverage rating
5.85
- Squad number7Player nameHaraldssonAverage rating
5.84
- Squad number10Player nameCabellaAverage rating
5.84
- Squad number18Player nameDiakitéAverage rating
5.84
- Squad number17Player nameIvan CavaleiroAverage rating
5.77
- Squad number31Player nameIsmailyAverage rating
5.76
- Squad number8Player nameGomesAverage rating
5.63
Aston Villa
Avg
- Squad number1Player nameE MartínezAverage rating
7.63
- Squad number2Player nameCashAverage rating
6.98
- Squad number31Player nameBaileyAverage rating
6.96
- Squad number14Player nameP TorresAverage rating
6.85
- Squad number4Player nameKonsaAverage rating
6.82
- Squad number7Player nameMcGinnAverage rating
6.80
- Squad number11Player nameWatkinsAverage rating
6.78
- Squad number24Player nameDuránAverage rating
6.67
- Squad number6Player nameDouglas LuizAverage rating
6.52
- Squad number8Player nameTielemansAverage rating
6.41
- Squad number12Player nameDigneAverage rating
6.41
- Squad number27Player nameRogersAverage rating
6.40
- Squad number19Player nameDiabyAverage rating
6.06
- Squad number22Player nameZanioloAverage rating
5.85
Line-ups
Lille
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 30Chevalier
- 22Carvalho SantosBooked at 61mins
- 15Yoro
- 18Diakité
- 31Gonçalves dos Santos
- 21AndréBooked at 43mins
- 6BentalebBooked at 42mins
- 12YaziciSubstituted forNeves Abreu Cavaleiroat 86'minutes
- 7HaraldssonSubstituted forGomesat 77'minutesBooked at 117mins
- 5GudmundssonSubstituted forCabellaat 90'minutes
- 9David
Substitutes
- 1Mannone
- 4de Souza Ribeiro
- 8Gomes
- 10Cabella
- 11Ounas
- 17Neves Abreu Cavaleiro
- 19Fontoura da Fonseca Morais
- 33Bouaddi
- 36Touré
- 38Ferrah
- 40Negrel
Aston Villa
Formation 4-4-2
- 1E MartínezBooked at 122mins
- 2Cash
- 4Konsa
- 14P Torres
- 12DigneBooked at 61mins
- 7McGinnSubstituted forDuránat 80'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 8Tielemans
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 22ZanioloBooked at 21minsSubstituted forRogersat 28'minutesBooked at 76mins
- 19DiabySubstituted forBaileyat 68'minutes
- 11WatkinsBooked at 109mins
Substitutes
- 3Diego Carlos
- 17Lenglet
- 18Gauci
- 24Durán
- 25Olsen
- 27Rogers
- 29Kesler-Hayden
- 31Bailey
- 47Iroegbunam
- 69Munroe
- 71Kellyman
- Referee:
- Ivan Kruzliak
- Attendance:
- 47,093
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away7
- Corners
- Home7
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Penalties over
Penalty Shootout ends, Lille 2(3), Aston Villa 1(4).
Post update
Penalty saved. Benjamin André (Lille) right footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Goal! Lille 2(3), Aston Villa 1(4). Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Post update
Goal! Lille 2(3), Aston Villa 1(3). Rémy Cabella (Lille) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the high centre of the goal.
Post update
Penalty saved. Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) left footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Goal! Lille 2(2), Aston Villa 1(3). Angel Gomes (Lille) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Post update
Goal! Lille 2(1), Aston Villa 1(3). Matty Cash (Aston Villa) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Post update
Goal! Lille 2(1), Aston Villa 1(2). Jonathan David (Lille) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.
Post update
Goal! Lille 2, Aston Villa 1(2). Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
Booking
Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Penalty saved. Nabil Bentaleb (Lille) left footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Goal! Lille 2, Aston Villa 1(1). Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Penalties in progress
Penalty Shootout begins Lille 2, Aston Villa 1.
Post update
Second Half Extra Time ends, Lille 2, Aston Villa 1.
Post update
Attempt saved. Jhon Durán (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Morgan Rogers with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Bafodé Diakité.
Booking
Angel Gomes (Lille) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Angel Gomes (Lille).
Post update
Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Comments
Join the conversation
For Unai Emery, it's a Thursday.
My old work mate Alan was a huge Villa fan.
RIP Alan. I know how happy you’d be right now ❤️
Legend
Realistically the only English team stopping this season from being the worst Euro campaign for English teams in a long, long time.
What a poor performance yet great result!