Villa turn on the style in a fitting tribute to Shaw

IN the week Aston Villa lost a homegrown hero, it was fitting that another local boy should shine so brightly on their return to Europe’s grandest stage.REX/EPAGrinning feeling: Tielemans celebrates after scoring Villa’s opener before Ramsey makes it two (left)

18 Sep 2024 - Daily Mail

TOM COLLOMOSSE in Bern

Throughout their team’s win over Young Boys, the 1,600 Villa fans who travelled to Bern sang the name of Gary Shaw, who died on Monday aged 63. One of the club’s finest forwards, Shaw was a vital part of the Villa side who lifted the European Cup in 1982 and though Jacob Ramsey has some way to go to emulate that, he is on the right track.

Like Shaw, Ramsey has progressed through the youth ranks at Villa and the midfielder claimed the vital second goal seven minutes before half-time.

Earlier, Youri Tielemans had become the first Villa player to score in this competition — now rebranded the Champions League — since Peter Withe in the quarter-final defeat by Juventus in March 1983. Amadou Onana sealed victory in the closing stages.

Ollie Watkins had a goal ruled out following a curious VAR handball call, and his replacement Jhon Duran also saw one chalked off. Luckily for Villa, it did not matter, though Duran needlessly wound up the home fans by climbing on the barrier and celebrating in front of them after believing he had made it 3-0.

‘We want to dedicate this victory to Gary Shaw, his family and all the Aston Villa family,’ said manager Unai Emery. ‘Forty-two years ago they won this competition. We want to try to follow what they achieved.’

Villa’s players wore black armbands in memory of Shaw and the club will pay tribute once more when they face Wolves at Villa Park on Saturday.

Next in this competition, Villa take on Bayern Munich — the team they beat in Rotterdam to win this trophy 42 years ago — at home on October 2. It will be much harder than this yet with their current form and Emery’s European expertise, Villa will feel ready for anything.

With the artificial pitch and the emotional build-up, perhaps it was no surprise Villa made an untidy start. They looked tentative at the back, with right back Lamare Bogarde finding the going tough against Young Boys’ lively winger Ebrima Colley.

Emi Martinez saved well from Colley, who then saw a spectacular effort from an angle land on the roof of the net as Villa struggled to get going.

Slowly but surely, Emery’s men found their rhythm and took the lead with a smart corner. Lucas Digne played it short to John McGinn, who clipped a deep cross to the unmarked Tielemans. The Belgian had time to take a touch before steering his effort through the crowd and into the bottom corner.

A brilliant flick from Morgan Rogers then sent Watkins clean through, only for the England forward to make a mess of it.

Ramsey did not have to wait long for his first Champions League goal. Instead of making a straightforward clearance, Mohamed Ali Camara tried to pass back to goalkeeper David von Ballmoos. Watkins stole possession and was brought down but, as the referee played advantage, Ramsey guided the loose ball in off the post. He celebrated provocatively in front of the home fans — though nothing compared to what Duran would deliver later.

Now Villa were rampant. Watkins thought he had Villa’s third when he fired in at the second attempt after his initial shot hit Banhie Zoukrou. Bizarrely, the goal was ruled out after a VAR check, even though the ball seemed to have rebounded off Watkins’ chest — rather than his arm — before he struck it. The striker made this point forcefully to referee Georgi Kabakov at the end of the half.

Young Boys had barely threatened since Villa’s opener and when they finally showed signs of life in the second half, Martinez did well to push away Silvere Ganvoula’s strike.

Duran had come on for Watkins after an hour and the Colombian cannot stay out of the limelight.

He swept home brilliantly from 20 yards and then decided to rile the Young Boys fans behind the goal by jumping on the barrier and staring them down, arms aloft. ‘I don’t think it’s serious,’ insisted Emery.

It was a foolish thing to do though and Duran, who was booked, looked even sillier when the goal was cancelled because of an Onana handball at the start of the move.

Onana had his moment four minutes from time, however, with a sweet strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Duran had to be escorted off the pitch by a steward as supporters hurled missiles in his direction. He will not care a jot.