Aston Villa, after trailing in the eighth round of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League, rallied to defeat Red Bull Salzburg 3-2 thanks to goals from Morgan Rodgers, Mings, and Jamaldin Gimmo. Unai Emery expressed his satisfaction with the impact of the young players on the match.

In the 33rd minute, Kalim Konaté scored after receiving the ball, giving Red Bull Salzburg a 1-0 lead. In the 49th minute of the second half, Alaibegovic assisted Moussa Yeo to score, extending Red Bull Salzburg's lead over Aston Villa to 2-0.

In the 64th minute, Buendia passed the ball to Morgan Rodgers, who followed up with a low shot to score, helping Aston Villa pull one back to 1-2. In the 76th minute, Matty Cash chipped the ball into the penalty area, and Mings headed it into the net, helping Aston Villa equalize at 2-2.

In the 87th minute, Kedan Young crossed the ball, and Jamaldin Gimmo seized the opportunity with an unmarked shot to score. Ultimately, Aston Villa secured a 3-2 victory over Red Bull Salzburg at home.

After winning 7 out of 8 matches and losing 1, Aston Villa advanced to the Europa League Round of 16 in second place.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said, "George Hemings played 45 minutes, and Jamaldin Gimo and Kedan Young also played 30 and 20 minutes respectively. We need to develop plans for them and pay attention to their development needs. Sometimes, like in this game, we need to try to give them some opportunities."

“Today was a very opportune moment. Even when we were behind, we gave them chances, and they responded with an assist and a goal. It’s a wonderful thing for the club, and it’s also wonderful for the young players. It shows them that they are not far from making it into the first team and playing alongside us.”

Emery emphasized, "I think we've also witnessed, together with the fans, how important youth development is and what young players mean to us. On one hand, there's the game itself; we want to compete in our own way and be the protagonists of the game, while also finding our way to the trophy and sharing the passion with the fans."

Furthermore, Emery added, "We did it because we won the game and came back from 0-2 down to create a strong comeback. I think the way the team turned things around was fantastic. We shared everything with the fans, passed on our energy to them, and they returned the support to us."

"This is exactly the atmosphere we hope to create with the fans here, at this event and at Villa Park, and to get everyone motivated for the event."

Image source: Internet