Europa League: Rapid Vienna v Aston Villa half time report
Rapid Vienna 1 Aston Villa 1
Youngster Barry Bannan has scored his first Aston Villa goal in their Europa League playoff tie in Austria, but hosts Rapid Vienna have pegged the English side back.
An unfamiliar Villa side took the lead after just 12 minutes of this first leg when good work from Marc Albrighton down the right hand side resulted in a low cross that the unmarked Bannan tapped home from six yards.
However, Atdhe Nuhiu’s flicked header from Steffen Hoffman’s curling cross drew the home side level, and Villa will be happy the hear the half time whistle after absorbing a lot of Rapid pressure in the closing moments.
Brad Guzan – who earlier produced a great save to deny Nuhiu – had to dive to his left to keep out a Hoffman free kick, before Villa youngster Eric Lichaj did well to prevent Hamdi Salihi heading his side in front.
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