Birmingham World reporter Charlie Haffenden reacts to Aston Villa 2-4 Olympiacos, the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final first leg at Villa Park.
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00:00 What was meant to be a dream night here at Villa Park has ended in a nightmare.
00:04 Aston Villa defeated 4-2 by Olympiacos in the semi-final of the Europa
00:09 Conference League, the first European semi-final here at Villa Park since 1982.
00:14 Unai Emery's men, kind of the architects of their own downfall really, defensively
00:19 really poor, the structure poor, so usually consistent with that structure
00:24 in the offside trap but well beaten today. Ayyuf El-Karbi with the hat trick
00:29 for the visitors tonight and a goal for Santiago Jeze as well outside the box
00:33 deflected and not saved well enough at all by Robin Olsen who flapped at the
00:37 ball. It was a deflection but he should have done so much better, he had ample time to
00:42 react to it but he just couldn't, he flapped at the ball and it went into the
00:45 back of the net at that point making it 4-2 to Olympiacos. 2-0 the
00:50 visitors took the lead in the first half, two quite similar goals really, surpassing
00:55 that offside trap, getting past that Villa back line. The first goal, Matty
00:59 Cash at fault as he just didn't step up quick enough and his trailing leg played
01:03 El-Karbi on, a very good finish firing it past Olsen into the near post and then
01:07 the second goal, very similar again in the midfield just not strong enough, the
01:11 likes of Luis and McGinnis to interrupt the Olympiacos build-up play and it
01:15 was played simply over the top. This time it was Luka Dean who played El-Karbi
01:19 onside and this time he rounded Robin Olsen who didn't do well enough to be
01:23 on a specific positioning and the striker got past after a little header
01:26 and fired it, kind of passed it into the net for 2-0. Just before the break
01:32 there was a bit of a lifeline for Villa, Oli Watkins scoring after some great
01:36 play from Moussa Diaby, Cash played it into Diaby, there's a nice little reverse pass
01:40 into the channel and Watkins put it into the far corner with a composed finish.
01:44 So you're going into the break then, just one goal down, you're thinking Villa might
01:48 well be able to get back into this and maybe take a lead into Athens and they
01:51 did get a goal in the 52nd minute. Moussa Diaby who was the creator for Watkins'
01:55 goal, finishing excellently from a tight angle. He was played in by Leon Bailey
02:00 down the right, a really good assist from him and a finish which was just exquisite
02:04 to get it into that near post. So 2-2, Villa really have an opportunity to push
02:09 on and maybe win the game or at least stay level but once again defensive
02:13 error. This time Douglas Luis handballing in the area and it was converted for a
02:18 hat-trick for El-Karbi. It was quite harsh in terms of it being really close
02:23 by when the ball hit his hand but you can't have your arms up in a position
02:27 that Luis did and he was punished for it. And then later in the game that
02:30 deflected effort that I mentioned from Heze outside the box. It was Villa
02:34 playing out from the back, playing themselves into trouble. John McGinn
02:37 wasn't quick enough to get out to Heze and he struck, not the best effort ever
02:41 but it deflected off Ezra Konda and went into the back of the net. It could have
02:45 been a different night, had an early goal for Leon Bailey counted. There was a foul
02:49 in the build-up from Clement Longley, at least that's what the officials thought.
02:52 Lots of frustrations tonight from the fans towards the officials, the Italians
02:55 who didn't really have much control of the game but Villa ultimately not having
02:59 their own control is what's cost them. A two goal disadvantage goes to Athens.
03:03 They're still in this tie, there's the almighty Greek mountain to climb.