Jimoh-Aloba late strike completes Aston Villa comeback as Rangers fall in Porto

Villa Park drama as teenager delivers the finishing touch

Aston Villa produced one of their most stirring European comebacks of the season, overturning a two-goal deficit to defeat Red Bull Salzburg 3-2 at Villa Park. The decisive moment belonged to 19-year-old Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, who struck with three minutes remaining to complete a turnaround that looked remote after an hour of flat play.

Villa had already secured qualification, yet the night still carried clear significance: a chance to build momentum, test squad depth, and confirm their position high in the expanded 36-team table. In the end, the victory ensured Villa finished second, but it came with a notable concern as Ollie Watkins departed early with a hamstring issue.

Emery rotates, but Watkins injury casts a shadow

Unai Emery made six changes from the side that beat Newcastle on Sunday, with Harvey Elliott among those brought into the starting lineup. Watkins, however, was retained, a decision that underlined the manager’s desire to keep a competitive edge despite qualification already being secured.

The plan was disrupted when Watkins went off on 35 minutes, clutching his hamstring. Morgan Rogers replaced him, and Emery later offered a cautious assessment of the striker’s condition.

“He felt something, but not a lot,” Emery said. “We will test him. I don’t know if he will be available for Sunday.”

Salzburg take control with Villa sluggish in the first hour

Salzburg were the sharper side in the first half and deservedly moved in front on 33 minutes. Tyrone Mings gave the ball away, and Edmund Baidoo’s cross caused immediate danger. Karim Konaté diverted the ball over the line, with Victor Lindelöf unable to prevent it despite his best efforts on the goal line.

At that stage, the pattern of the game suggested a difficult evening for Villa. Salzburg’s energy and organisation were more evident, while the hosts struggled to impose themselves. The loss of Watkins before the interval only increased the sense that Villa were facing an uphill task.

Any hope that the break might reset the contest was quickly tested. Salzburg doubled their lead four minutes after the restart when Kerim Alajbegovic jinked to the byline and delivered a cross that Moussa Yeo converted at the near post with a classy flick.

Rogers and Mings turn the match, Jimoh-Aloba seals it

Two goals down, Villa finally found the urgency and cohesion that had been missing. Rogers, introduced for Watkins, provided a crucial response by reducing the deficit with a neat finish at the near post after combining smartly with Emi Buendía. The goal changed the mood inside Villa Park, lifting the tempo and belief in a comeback.

Mings then made amends for his earlier mistake. The defender rose to head Villa level from Matty Cash’s cross, a moment of atonement that also underlined Villa’s growing control as Salzburg began to retreat.

With the match poised at 2-2, Villa pressed for a winner, and it arrived late. Jimoh-Aloba tucked Kadan Young’s low cross into the corner with three minutes remaining. The finish capped a fightback that had looked unlikely for long spells, and it confirmed the teenager as the decisive figure on the night.

• Salzburg led through Konaté after a Mings giveaway and Baidoo cross.
• Watkins left the pitch on 35 minutes with a hamstring issue.
• Yeo made it 2-0 early in the second half after Alajbegovic’s run and cross.
• Rogers and Buendía combined before Rogers finished to make it 2-1.
• Mings equalised with a header from Cash’s cross.
• Jimoh-Aloba scored the late winner from Young’s low delivery.

Rangers end campaign with defeat as Porto clinch last-16 place

Rangers’ difficult Europa League campaign concluded with a 3-1 loss at Porto, a result that also secured the Portuguese side a place in the last 16. The match began in encouraging fashion for Rangers, but it unravelled amid defensive errors and a punishing spell before half-time.

Danny Röhl’s team struck first after six minutes when Djeidi Gassama looped a header into the opposite corner from Findlay Curtis’s right-wing cross. The early goal gave Rangers a foothold and briefly suggested they might finish the campaign on a positive note.

Porto responded decisively. They were level in the 27th minute through Rodrigo Mora, who finished a move he had started, firing past Jack Butland from close range. The turning point arrived soon after in chaotic circumstances: within eight minutes, Porto went ahead after a farcical mix-up between Butland and James Tavernier from a long ball. The ball ran into the path of Francisco Moura, who back-heeled home.

Rangers’ problems deepened when it became 3-1. Emmanuel Fernandez headed past his own goalkeeper from a Porto corner at the near post, compounding a night in which small margins and moments of disorganisation proved costly.

Despite the defeat, Röhl pointed to elements of performance he felt reflected progress.

“It’s still not good enough but to be on the front foot, try something in possession, counter-pressing … I’m so proud of the development,” he said.

Key results elsewhere shape the table and knockout picture

Beyond Villa’s comeback and Rangers’ defeat, the wider round of matches brought significant movement across the top end of the standings and the teams fighting for knockout positioning.

Lyon secured top spot with a 4-2 home win over PAOK, while Midtjylland climbed to third after beating Dinamo Zagreb 2-0. Those results helped define the leading positions in the league-style table, where finishing higher can influence the knockout route.

Real Betis earned a 2-1 victory over Feyenoord, a result that secured them home advantage in the second leg of their last-16 tie. Freiburg, meanwhile, slipped to seventh after a narrow loss at Lille, illustrating how fine the margins were in the race for the top positions.

Braga and Roma completed the top eight after away draws, with Braga held at Go Ahead Eagles and Roma drawing at Panathinaikos. Elsewhere, Young Boys’ 3-2 defeat at Stuttgart proved costly as they missed out on the playoffs, edged out by Ludogorets, who defeated Nice 1-0 to sneak in.

Brann finished 24th despite losing 1-0 at Sturm Graz, while Maccabi Tel Aviv ended bottom after a 3-0 home defeat by Bologna. Malmö also finished without a win following a 2-1 loss at Genk.

There were several draws and narrow wins in other fixtures: Red Star Belgrade drew 1-1 with Celta Vigo, FCSB and Fenerbahce also finished 1-1, and Viktoria Plzen won 1-0 away at Basel.

• Lyon 4-2 PAOK: Lyon secured top spot.
• Midtjylland 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb: Midtjylland moved up to third.
• Real Betis 2-1 Feyenoord: Betis secured home advantage in the second leg of their last-16 tie.
• Lille beat Freiburg narrowly: Freiburg dropped to seventh.
• Braga drew at Go Ahead Eagles; Roma drew at Panathinaikos to complete the top eight.
• Stuttgart 3-2 Young Boys: Young Boys missed the playoffs as Ludogorets beat Nice 1-0.
• Sturm Graz 1-0 Brann: Brann finished 24th.
• Maccabi Tel Aviv 0-3 Bologna: Maccabi finished bottom.
• Genk 2-1 Malmö: Malmö ended winless.
• Red Star Belgrade 1-1 Celta Vigo; FCSB 1-1 Fenerbahce; Basel 0-1 Viktoria Plzen.

What the night said about Villa and Rangers

For Villa, the match offered two contrasting takeaways. The first was the character shown to recover from a limp first hour and turn a two-goal deficit into a win, with contributions spread across the squad: Rogers making an impact from the bench, Buendía linking play, Mings responding after an early error, and Jimoh-Aloba delivering the decisive finish.

The second was the uncertainty surrounding Watkins. Emery’s comments suggested the issue may not be severe, but the forward’s availability for Sunday remains unclear pending tests.

For Rangers, the defeat in Porto underlined how quickly games can swing at this level. An early lead through Gassama was followed by a spell in which Porto capitalised on errors, including a mix-up that gifted Moura a goal and an own goal from a set piece. Röhl’s reflections focused on the intent to play on the front foot and the development he believes is taking place, even as the final result confirmed a disappointing end to the campaign.