Go Ahead Eagles Stun Aston Villa to Halt Five-Match Winning Run

Key Takeaways:

• Aston Villa’s sequence of five consecutive victories was snapped after a 1-2 defeat against Go Ahead Eagles
• Evann Guessand netted the early opener in the fourth minute before Mathis Suray and Mats Deijl turned the match around
• Emiliano Buendía missed a crucial penalty as Villa failed to find a late equaliser

Match Overview

Aston Villa’s unbeaten streak in the main stage of the Europa League came to an abrupt end, as they suffered a 1-2 away loss to Go Ahead Eagles in the Netherlands. The Birmingham club had taken a swift lead through Evann Guessand in the fourth minute. However, Mathis Suray’s effort – which found the net via a significant deflection – brought the sides level before half-time. The setback was compounded in the 61st minute, when Mats Deijl finished off a well-placed lofted pass from Kramer to secure the hosts’ comeback.

GO AHEAD EAGLES WINT VAN ASTON VILLA! 🤯#gaeavl pic.twitter.com/bw088zP0IX

— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) October 23, 2025

Tactical Changes and Line-ups

Unai Emery opted for seven amendments to the XI that started against Tottenham at the weekend. Emiliano Martínez, Amadou Onana, Pau Torres, and Evann Guessand retained their places, while Lindelöf, Bogarde, Maatsen, Mings, Buendía, and Watkins also began the match. Yasir Salah Rahmouni featured in the Go Ahead Eagles midfield, replacing Evert Linthorst for the Dutch side.

First Half: Bright Start but Missed Opportunities

Aston Villa dominated proceedings in the opening period and established their early ascendancy when Jadon Sancho delivered a cross from the left. While Kramer intercepted partially, the ball broke for Evann Guessand, who capitalised by placing it into the vacated net. The visitors fashioned three or four additional high-quality opportunities to double their advantage but were unable to convert. That wastefulness was punished in the 42nd minute, when Twigt’s free kick delivery reached Mathis Suray. A hefty deflection wrong-footed Martínez, levelling the tie at 1-1.

Second Half: Go Ahead Eagles Complete the Turnaround

The hosts seized the lead in the 61st minute. Kramer executed an incisive lofted pass for Mats Deijl, who expertly chested the ball down and slotted beyond Martínez. In response, Emery turned to his bench, introducing Cash, Rogers, Kamara, and Malen in a quadruple substitution. Rogers went close to restoring parity but was agonisingly denied by the woodwork.

Missed Penalty Caps Frustrating Night for Villa

A golden opportunity presented itself in the 79th minute, as Villa were awarded a penalty following a handball by a Go Ahead Eagles defender. Emiliano Buendía, however, was unable to convert from the spot as his shot cleared the crossbar. Despite sustained late pressure from the visitors, they failed to break through the Dutch defence, confirming the end of their five-match winning run in all competitions.