Aston Villa kept their incredible momentum rolling Thursday night, grinding out a 2-1 victory against FC Basel in the Europa League. This win marks their eighth straight triumph across all competitions, catapulting them to the top of their group alongside Lyon and Midtjylland on 15 points.
The match in Basel was a proper battle, with Villa showing their grit after falling behind. Fans watching knew this was no easy away day in Switzerland.
First-Half Fireworks: Guessand Strikes, Basel Fights Back
Villa wasted no time asserting dominance. Just
12 minutes in, a scramble from a corner left
Evann Guessand with a tap-in he couldn't miss, giving the visitors a dream start.
Basel, though, aren't pushovers at home. They leveled things up in the
34th minute when
Flavius Daniliuc poked home from a pinpoint free kick by Swiss star
Xherdan Shaqiri. The St. Jakob-Park crowd erupted, sensing a potential upset.
That 1-1 scoreline held until halftime, with both sides trading chances in a high-energy opener.
Tielemans' Super Sub Magic Seals the Deal
The second half belonged to Villa's bench. Fresh off the subs' bench,
Youri Tielemans delivered the decisive blow in the
53rd minute, slotting home a cool finish to restore the lead.
Basel pushed hard for an equalizer, but Villa's defense stood firm, snuffing out late threats to secure all three points. This result keeps them firmly in the automatic qualification hunt after six group games.
Bigger Picture: Villa Join the Leaders, Basel Slip
With 15 points, Villa now sit level at the summit with
Olympique Lyonnais and
Midtjylland. Basel, on six points, linger outside the playoff spots, needing a strong finish to stay in Europe.
Elsewhere, Lyon edged Go Ahead Eagles 2-1 in a chaotic opener with three goals in 11 minutes, while Freiburg nabbed a 1-0 win over 10-man RB Salzburg. The group race is heating up fast.
What This Means for Villa's Season
Unai Emery's side is on fire—eight wins in a row is no fluke. This Europa League push could fuel a deep Premier League run too. For Basel, it's a wake-up call; home form will define their winter.
Key takeaways:
-
Tielemans proving clutch as a super sub—watch for more impact cameos.
- Villa's away resilience shines; they're built for these dogfights.
- Group toppers now tied—expect drama in the final matches.
If Villa keep this streak alive, Europe might just be their playground this season.
Sources
1. Villa edge Basel to join leaders as Roma roll past Celtic and Lyon ...
2. Aston Villa wins 8th straight game with 2-1 victory over Basel in ...
3. FC Basel 1-2 Aston Villa (Dec 11, 2025) Final Score - ESPN
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