Ahead Eagles achieved a historic European upset on Thursday night, stunning Premier League heavyweights Aston Villa with a dramatic 2-1 victory in their UEFA Europa League group stage clash at De Adelaarshorst.
According to NL Times reporting, the result marks a landmark achievement for the Dutch side against an English top-flight opponent.
The visitors, Aston Villa, initially looked set for a comfortable evening, taking an early lead through Evann Guessand. However, the hosts demonstrated exceptional resolve.
Go Ahead Eagles equalized late in the first half with a well-executed set-piece finished by Mathis Suray, before Mats Deijl struck the decisive winning goal in the second period, securing the 2-1 scoreline.
The statistical reality of the match was heavily skewed in Villa’s favor; Unai Emery’s side commanded 70% of the possession and registered 18 shots to the Eagles’ five.
Yet, two lapses in defense proved costly. The Eagles’ victory snapped Villa’s winning run in the competition and delivered a major surprise to the group standings.
Following the match, a member of the Aston Villa coaching staff was quoted reflecting on the shock defeat: “The performance was good in spells, but you cannot win in Europe with two moments of poor defending.
We have to take this loss, learn from it quickly, and respond in the weekend fixture.” The result is a major statement for the Eagles and a significant setback for the English side.