Aston Villa ended a four-game winless streak across all competitions by claiming a narrow 1-0 victory over LOSC Lille at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round-of-16 tie.

With the stakes rising in the knockout stages, a cautious first half was expected, but the lack of attacking sharpness from both sides was still notable. Lille had come into the match on the back of three wins from their previous four games, while Villa had the benefit of a week to prepare following a rare break.

Chances were scarce, and the first meaningful attempt didn’t arrive until the 40th minute when Morgan Rogers fired well over the crossbar from distance. The only other significant moment before half-time came when Emiliano Martinez tipped a long-range strike from Romain Perraud wide.

The second half began similarly cagey, with few clear-cut chances created. A wayward Rogers effort remained the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock before the hour mark.

Then, out of nowhere, Villa took the lead thanks to Ollie Watkins, his first goal of this season’s Europa League. The goal was a reflection of the match’s unpredictability — Ezri Konsa launched a hopeful long ball, flicked on unexpectedly by Emiliano Buendía, allowing Watkins to nod over goalkeeper Berke Ozer.

Villa came close to doubling their advantage soon after, with Amadou Onana curling a shot from outside the box onto the crossbar. Lille, meanwhile, struggled to respond despite holding plenty of possession late in the match. Matias Fernandez-Pardo’s attempt was comfortably saved by Martinez, leaving the visitors unable to convert their pressure into goals.

Villa held on to secure the narrow win, putting them in a strong position ahead of the second leg at Villa Park next week.

For Lille, it marked a second consecutive home defeat — a first in their history — and only their second win in nine home matches across all competitions. Heading to Birmingham, they face the challenge of overturning the deficit and will need a significantly improved attacking display to reach the last eight.