Europa League roundup: Jimoh-Aloba seals late Aston Villa comeback as Rangers fall in Porto

Villa’s late surge turns a flat night into a statement win

Aston Villa’s Europa League evening at Villa Park looked to be drifting toward a frustrating conclusion for more than an hour, but it ended with a dramatic twist. Nineteen-year-old Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba scored with three minutes remaining to complete a 3-2 comeback victory over Red Bull Salzburg, a result that underlined Villa’s depth and resilience even after a difficult opening spell.

Villa had already qualified, and Unai Emery reshaped his line-up accordingly, making six changes from the side that beat Newcastle on Sunday. Harvey Elliott was among those handed a start, while Ollie Watkins was retained up front. Despite the rotation, the early rhythm belonged to Salzburg, who were sharper in possession and more purposeful in the first half.

For long stretches, Villa struggled to impose themselves. The contest only truly swung once the home side found a foothold after the interval, but by then they had already fallen two goals behind and had also suffered an injury concern that could carry implications beyond this match.

Salzburg punish errors and take control

Salzburg’s first goal arrived on 33 minutes and came from a sequence Villa will want to forget. Tyrone Mings gave the ball away, allowing Salzburg to build an attack that ended with Edmund Baidoo delivering a cross. Karim Konaté diverted it over the line, with Victor Lindelöf unable to prevent the ball from crossing despite his efforts.

The goal reflected the balance of the opening half: Salzburg were the more cohesive side and looked comfortable playing through Villa’s pressure. The home crowd had little to lift them, and the mood darkened further just two minutes later when Watkins went down and was forced off.

Watkins departed on 35 minutes clutching his hamstring, and Morgan Rogers replaced him. Emery’s post-match assessment carried cautious optimism but no certainty. “He felt something, but not a lot,” the Villa manager said. “We will test him. I don’t know if he will be available for Sunday.”

If the injury was a blow, Salzburg’s second goal early in the second half made Villa’s task even steeper. Four minutes after the restart, Kerim Alajbegovic jinked his way to the byline and crossed for Moussa Yeo, who scored at the near post with a classy flick to put the visitors 2-0 up.

Rogers sparks the response, Mings makes amends

At 2-0 down, Villa’s comeback prospects looked slim, particularly given how the match had played out to that point. Yet the response, once it came, was swift and increasingly convincing.

Rogers, introduced because of Watkins’ injury, provided the first sign of life. He reduced the deficit with a neat near-post finish after combining smartly with Emi Buendía, a goal that changed both the atmosphere inside Villa Park and the direction of the match.

Villa’s equaliser followed, and it carried an element of redemption. Mings, whose earlier mistake had contributed to Salzburg’s opener, atoned by heading Villa level from Matty Cash’s cross. With the score at 2-2, the contest opened up, and Villa suddenly looked the more likely winners.

The decisive moment arrived late. With three minutes remaining, Jimoh-Aloba met Kadan Young’s low cross and tucked the ball into the corner. The finish capped a turnaround that had seemed unlikely after Villa’s limp first-hour showing, and it ensured the home side ended the league phase in second place in the 36-team table.

Key moments from Aston Villa 3-2 Red Bull Salzburg

• 33’: Salzburg go ahead after Mings loses possession; Konaté diverts Baidoo’s cross over the line.
• 35’: Watkins is forced off with a hamstring issue; Rogers comes on.
• 49’: Salzburg double their lead as Yeo flicks in Alajbegovic’s cross at the near post.
• Villa pull one back through Rogers after a move involving Buendía.
• Mings levels with a header from Cash’s cross.
• 87’: Jimoh-Aloba scores the winner from Young’s low cross.

Rangers’ campaign ends with defeat as Porto secure last-16 place

While Villa were celebrating a late winner, Rangers’ Europa League campaign concluded with a 3-1 loss at Porto. The result confirmed Porto’s place in the last 16 and brought an end to a difficult European run for Rangers, despite a bright start on the night.

Rangers went in front after six minutes. Djeidi Gassama looped a header into the opposite corner from a right-wing cross delivered by Findlay Curtis, giving the visitors an early advantage and momentarily unsettling the hosts.

Porto responded with control and then goals. They were level in the 27th minute through Rodrigo Mora, who finished a move he had started by firing past Jack Butland from close range. The equaliser shifted momentum decisively, and within eight minutes Porto had turned the match around in unusual circumstances.

The second Porto goal came after a farcical mix-up between Butland and James Tavernier when dealing with a long ball. The confusion allowed the ball to run into the path of Francisco Moura, who back-heeled it home to make it 2-1.

Rangers’ problems deepened soon after. It became 3-1 when Emmanuel Fernandez headed past his own keeper from a Porto corner at the near post, a painful moment that summed up a night in which fine margins and costly errors proved decisive.

Despite the disappointment, Rangers manager Danny Röhl highlighted the intent and progress he felt he had seen. “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 moments from Porto 3-1 Rangers

• 6’: Rangers lead as Gassama heads in from Curtis’s right-wing cross.
• 27’: Porto equalise through Mora, who finishes from close range.
• Porto go ahead after a mix-up between Butland and Tavernier; Moura back-heels home.
• Rangers concede an own goal as Fernandez heads into his own net from a corner.

Top spots and tight races: how the wider Europa League picture changed

Beyond Villa’s comeback and Rangers’ exit, the broader Europa League standings were shaped by a series of results that decided positions at both ends of the table. Lyon secured top spot with a 4-2 home win over PAOK, underlining their consistency across the campaign and ensuring they finished first overall.

Midtjylland climbed to third after defeating Dinamo Zagreb 2-0, a result that lifted them in the final ordering. Elsewhere, Real Betis earned a 2-1 win over Feyenoord, which secured them home advantage in the second leg of their last-16 tie. Freiburg, meanwhile, slipped to seventh after a narrow defeat at Lille.

Two notable draws also had significant consequences. Braga and Roma completed the top eight after earning points on the road, Braga drawing at Go Ahead Eagles and Roma drawing at Panathinaikos. Those results were enough to lock in their positions among the leading group.

At the other end of the standings, the playoff picture was decided by fine margins. Young Boys’ 3-2 loss at Stuttgart meant they missed out on the playoffs, with Ludogorets taking advantage by defeating Nice 1-0 to sneak in.

Brann finished in 24th position despite losing 1-0 at Sturm Graz, a placing that still proved sufficient for their final standing. Several other results completed the final table: Maccabi Tel Aviv finished bottom after a 3-0 home defeat by Bologna, and Malmö ended winless following a 2-1 loss at Genk.

There were also draws and narrow away wins elsewhere. Red Star Belgrade drew 1-1 with Celta Vigo, and FCSB and Fenerbahce also finished 1-1. Viktoria Plzen claimed a 1-0 win away at Basel to round off their campaign.

Roundup results that shaped the standings

• 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)
• Go Ahead Eagles drew with Braga (Braga finished in the top eight)
• Panathinaikos drew with Roma (Roma finished in the top eight)
• Stuttgart 3-2 Young Boys (Young Boys missed out on the playoffs)
• Ludogorets 1-0 Nice (Ludogorets sneaked into the playoffs)
• Sturm Graz 1-0 Brann (Brann finished 24th)
• Maccabi Tel Aviv 0-3 Bologna (Maccabi Tel Aviv 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 most immediate takeaway was the character of the recovery. Coming from two goals down is never routine, and doing so on a night when the performance was described as limp for an hour made the ending all the more striking. Jimoh-Aloba’s late winner offered a headline moment, while Rogers made a tangible impact after being introduced early. The lingering concern is Watkins’ hamstring issue, with Emery indicating tests will determine whether he is available for Sunday.

For Rangers, the defeat in Porto reflected a campaign that ended without the finish they wanted. The early goal showed they could threaten, but the match turned on Porto’s response and a sequence of costly moments, including the mix-up for the second goal and the own goal that followed. Röhl’s comments pointed to a desire to focus on development and proactive play, even as the result confirmed their European exit.

Across the competition, the final positions and qualification places were settled by a mixture of emphatic wins, narrow defeats, and draws that proved just enough. In that context, Villa’s late turnaround stood out not only for its drama, but for what it signalled about their ability to change a match that initially seemed to be slipping away.