Champions League: Aston Villa 1 Bayern Munich 0 - Report

For Peter Withe, read Jhon Duran and for Nigel Spink, Emi Martinez.

Forty-two years on from beating Bayern in the European Cup final, Villa's heroes of the club's finest watched on from the stand as their modern day counterparts repeated the result to announce their arrival on the Champions League stage in stunning fashion.

Duran replicated Withe by scoring the only goal, before goalkeeper Martinez repelled the Bavarian giants with two late stunning saves, just as Spink had frustrated them on that famous night in Rotterdam, to preserve the victory.

This result, coming in just the second group stage match, might not have delivered Villa a trophy like 1982. Yet it was another night which will live forever in the memory of those present, from Withe, Spink and their fellow club legends to Prince William.

Bayern are so rarely beaten in the early stages of the Champions League. Duran’s winner 11 minutes from time inflicted their first group stage defeat in 42 matches. Just as on that night, a 3-0 loss to Paris St Germain seven years ago, Unai Emery stood in the opposite dugout.

The Spanish boss is clearly a man for the big occasion. So too, increasingly, is Duran. This was the Colombia international's sixth goal of the season, four of which have been match-winners. The latest, an audacious lob over a stranded Manuel Neuer from 25 yards out, guaranteed his place in Villa folklore.

Bayern, who dominated possession just as they did in Rotterdam, could find no way through a Villa defence which Emery admitted pre-match had been far too leaky for his liking this season.

This clean sheet was just their second of the season, both of which have come in the Champions League.

Players criticised in recent weeks, including Diego Carlos and Pau Torres, both stepped up on the big occasion. The latter saw a first half goal chalked off by VAR, before delivering the pass for Duran's winner.

Villa, who beat Young Boys 3-0 in last month's competition opener, are already well-placed to advance to the knockout stages. But after a win like this, against perennial favourites Bayern, there will be firm belief they can go even further.

Bayern had scored 30 goals in their first seven matches of the season under new boss Vincent Kompany but Emery’s men defended superbly throughout before relying on the brilliance of their goalkeeper Martinez, who denied Serge Gnabry and then Harry Kane in stoppage time, the latter with a flying one-handed save.

The expanded Champions League format might have taken some of the edge for those fixtures in mathematical terms.

Yet there was no hiding this was a special night. Villa's first home match in Europe's elite club competition since 1983 brought with it an atmosphere akin to derby day, with the vast majority of supporters in their seats more than 15 minutes before kick-off.

After a rendition of Hi Ho Aston Villa where the chorus was blasted out with gusto, the teams walked out to deafening noise, a huge tifo featuring the home players with Emery at the fore hanging from the Holte End.

The hosts began nervously, Lucas Digne conceding a needless early corner. Martinez was called into action inside the first five minutes, keeping out a Kane header at point-blank range before a raised flag revealed the effort had been for nothing.

Diego Carlos’ intervention soon after, blocking out a Gnabry pass intended for Kane, was even more important.

Yet Villa gradually grew into it, Watkins sending a header over the bar at the far post from their first serious attack in the 15th minute.

As the half approached the halfway point, Villa thought they had the lead. Digne crossed, Pau Torres headed the ball up in the air and Jaden Philogene - a surprise starter - showed great skill to direct it back to the feet of the Spanish defender, who poked in a finish off the far post.

Villa Park erupted and the players were walking back to kick-off when VAR confirmed Jacob Ramsey had been offside earlier in the move and the moment was lost.

The hosts had their tails up and Onana missed a great chance to score when he shot straight at Neuer after Watkins had stretched the visiting defence.

Emery was forced into a change when Ramsey picked up an injury, Leon Bailey coming off the bench.

Gnabry then wasted a golden chance for the visitors when he shot high and wide with Kane screaming for a pass six yards out.

Villa went in level at the break after Martinez pulled off a fingertip save to turn Michael Olise’s curling effort over the bar.

Watkins narrowly missed connecting with a Youri Tielemans corner as Villa pushed forward after the break but the game settled back into the same pattern as the first with Bayern dominating the ball. Olise saw two efforts blocked in quick succession as the visitors began to build sustained pressure.

Emery made changes, bringing on Ross Barkley and Ian Maatsen for the ineffective Bailey and injured Onana.

It almost paid dividends as Barkley looked to play in his substitute partner, Upamecano sticking out a leg to make a vital interception. Maatsen then hammered a shot over the bar as Villa grew in confidence again.

Emery introduced Duran for Watkins and with 11 minutes to go the moment arrived. Torres played the ball out from the back and the striker got the jump on Dayot Upamecano before sending a lobbed finish over a stranded Neuer with his first touch.

Bayern struggled to create a chance until Gnabry was played in as the clock ticked into stoppage time. But Martinez spread himself to save before then diving to his right to palm away Kane’s header. This was destined to be Villa’s night.

Teams

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne, Onana (Barkley 59), Tielemans, Philogene, Rogers, Ramsey (Bailey 27 (Maatsen 59)), Watkins (Duran 70) Subs not used: Nedeljkovic, Cash, Bogarde, Young, Swinkels, Buendia, Zych (gk), Gauci (gk).

Bayern (4-2-3-1): Neuer, Laimer, Upamecano, Kim, Davies, Kimmich, Pavlović (Palhinha 76), Gnabry, Olise (Sane 66), Coman (Musiala HT), Kane Subs not used: Goretzka, Dier, Guerreiro, Müller, Tel, Musiala, Ulreich (gk), Peretz (gk).