Tyrone Mings scores for Aston Villa Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Tyrone Mings scored his first goal for Aston Villa since April 2023

At a glance

  • Ollie Watkins forced off with hamstring injury in first half

  • Red Bull Salzburg take 2-0 lead early in second half

  • Morgan Rogers and Tyrone Mings hit back for Villa

  • Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, 19, scores late winner for hosts

  • PLAYER RATER

Aston Villa fought back from 2-0 down to beat Red Bull Salzburg and finish second in the Europa League league phase, but Ollie Watkins was forced off to compound their injury issues.

Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba's first senior goal earned a late victory for the hosts, who had already qualified for the last 16, at Villa Park.

Karim Konate and Moussa Yeo had put the visitors in charge, before Morgan Rogers cut the deficit and Tyrone Mings levelled with 15 minutes remaining, then 19-year-old Jimoh-Aloba struck late on.

However, striker Watkins came off with a hamstring problem and could now join the injured John McGinn and Youri Tielemans on the sidelines, with Boubacar Kamara already out for the season.

Villa's injury woes meant Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott came in from the cold for his first appearance in almost four months.

He nearly scored within 30 seconds, only for the diving Alexander Schlager to make a fortunate stop with his heel, before the visitors took control.

Emi Martinez made a double save to deny Soumaila Diabate and Konate before Villa conceded a calamitous opener.

Mings was robbed by Edmund Baidoo and Konate's awful shot with the goal gaping looked to be going wide before being turned in by Victor Lindelof.

Within four minutes of the restart substitute Yeo flicked in Salzburg's second, but Rogers pulled a goal back just after the hour - after Sota Kitano should have made it 3-0 - and Mings atoned for his error by heading in with 14 minutes left.

Substitute Jimoh-Aloba then grabbed an 87th-minute winner when he found the corner from 15 yards.

Villa analysis: Hosts find way to win - but suffer latest injury blow

Villa were sloppy and sluggish for an hour on Thursday and Salzburg were in total control at 2-0 up.

Yet once Rogers scored there seemed little doubt the hosts would at least get a draw - and, once again under Unai Emery, Villa found a way to win and maintain their unbeaten home European record this season.

Victory came at a price, however, after Watkins had to leave the field because of injury in the first half.

The England striker clutched his hamstring and walked straight down the tunnel after coming off - and Emery and his already stretched squad could do without another injury.

Tammy Abraham has arrived from Besiktas and could now go straight into the starting XI against Brentford on Sunday depending on Watkins' prognosis.

Having lost three other key players to injury this month - Kamara, McGinn and Tielemans - Villa cannot afford Watkins to be out for long.

They will need Abraham to hit the ground running, with forward Evann Guessand on his way to Crystal Palace on loan.

What's next for Villa?

Aston Villa host Brentford on Sunday (14:00 GMT kick-off) before travelling to Bournemouth on 7 February (15:00).

Player of the match

Number: 20 J. Jimoh-Aloba
Average rating 7.96
Number: 20 J. Jimoh-Aloba
Average Rating: 7.96
Number: 27 M. Rogers
Average Rating: 7.89
Number: 9 H. Elliott
Average Rating: 7.85
Number: 2 M. Cash
Average Rating: 7.38
Number: 23 E. Martínez
Average Rating: 7.32
Number: 51 K. Young
Average Rating: 7.21
Number: 4 E. Konsa
Average Rating: 7.06
Number: 12 L. Digne
Average Rating: 6.93
Number: 5 T. Mings
Average Rating: 6.82
Number: 3 V. Lindelöf
Average Rating: 6.62
Number: 10 E. Buendía
Average Rating: 6.58
Number: 19 J. Sancho
Average Rating: 6.57
Number: 24 A. Onana
Average Rating: 6.46
Number: 26 L. Bogarde
Average Rating: 6.40
Number: 53 G. Hemmings
Average Rating: 5.92
Number: 11 O. Watkins
Average Rating: 5.87

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.