Aston Villa 3-1 Viking: Buendia & Barkley on target in comfortable win

Aston Villa made it three wins from three in the Champions League with a 3-1 win over Viking at Villa Park.

Match Report

Ross Barkley headed Unai Emery's side in front midway through the first half and Emiliano Buendia's penalty made it two before the break. Alysson's run led to an own goal for the third with only Peter Christiansen's late volley taking Villa off top spot.

Bayern Munich struggled against the Norwegian champions last week but Villa were in control from the start despite a makeshift look to the side with Joao Gomes at right-back. The Brazilian had a cross deflected against the underside of the bar early in the game.

Ibrahim Mbaye's corner from the other flank was nodded in by Barkley soon after before Buendia came close with two good headed chances. The Argentine made amends from the penalty spot when a VAR check ruled that Alysson had been clipped inside the box.

The young winger was the best player on the pitch, producing surely his best performance in a Villa shirt. He was instrumental in the third goal too, racing through from deep. Henrik Heggheim could only divert his cross past his own goalkeeper.

That was the goal that took Villa into top spot in this league phase. The crowd knew it too, chanting 'We are top of the league' afterwards. But Peter Christiansen's brilliant late volley - awarded after a VAR check - dropped them back to second behind PSG.

The tifo unveiled in the Holte End before kick-off pointed out that Villa have conquered before and are prepared for more. There are more fancied sides in this Champions League but few boast the clarity of purpose that Emery brings. Villa are building again.

More to follow...

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

4' Highlight from Aston Villa vs Viking

7' Match Event for Aston Villa vs Viking

23' GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Viking (Ross Barkley)

26' Highlight from Aston Villa vs Viking

31' Highlight from Aston Villa vs Viking

37' GOAL! Aston Villa 2-0 Viking

Line-ups

Aston Villa XI: Lindelof, Barkley, McGinn, Mings, Buendia, P. Torres, Zion Suzuki, João Gomes, Nicolas Jackson, Alysson, Mbaye

Subs: Marco Bizot, Goretzka, Abraham, Kamara, Matty Cash, Harwood-Bellis, Maatsen, Garnacho, Lamare Bogarde, James Wright, George Hemmings

Viking XI: Arild Østbø, Zlatko Tripic, Joe Bell, Jesper Daland, Erik Botheim, Kristoffer Askildsen, Peter Christiansen, Gianni Stensness, Herman Haugen, Henrik Heggheim, Tobias Moi

Subs: Kristoffer Haugen, Henrik Bjørdal, Viljar Vevatne, Lubomir Belko, Romano Postema, Henrik Falchener, Simen Kvia-Egeskog, Essiën Bassey, Jakob Segadal Hansen, Vetle Auklend, Niklas Fuglestad, Amin Cosic