Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings made an embarrassing handball blunder that condemned his side to a shock 1-0 defeat against Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Mings bizarrely picked up the ball inside his own penalty area in the second half in the mistaken belief that Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez had not taken a goal kick.
The England centre-back appeared to think Martinez’s pass to him was not the restart in play and he scooped up the ball to place it back in the six-yard box.
Hans Vanaken stroked home the resulting penalty to leave Mings stunned as Villa’s 100 percent record in this season’s Champions League came to an end in the most unusual circumstances at the Jan Breydel stadium.
It was a nightmare Champions League debut for Mings, who had recently returned to action after 14 months on the sidelines with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
But Unai Emery’s team could have few complaints about their first loss in four European matches after being outplayed by the Belgian champions.
Villa had arrived looking for the win that would move them a step closer to automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16.
Instead they were handed a third consecutive defeat in all competitions after Sunday’s dismal 4-1 defeat at Tottenham in the Premier League and the loss to Crystal Palace in the League Cup last week.
Villa, who topped the Champions League table after three games, are playing in Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since 1982-83.
They have already enjoyed a famous win over Bayern Munich this season, as well as victories against Young Boys and Bologna.
But now they need to beat Italian giants Juventus in their next Champions League fixture on November 27 to get their last 16 bid back on track.
Before that, Villa travel to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Saturday, with Emery searching for answers following their latest disappointing display.
Moment of madness
Villa’s Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans was jeered by Brugge fans after his spell with their rivals Anderlecht.
Tielemans wasted a chance to silence his tormentors when he blazed over from the edge of the area.
Morgan Rogers’ strike from 18 yards deflected narrowly wide moments later, while Tielemans teed up Ollie Watkins for a low drive that flashed just past the post.
Having absorbed Villa’s early barrage, Brugge almost snatched the lead through Ferran Jutgla, whose close-range shot cannoned off the post before Martinez saved Christos Tzolis’s effort from the rebound.
Villa failed to heed the warning and Casper Nielsen’s flick was cleared off the line by Mings, with Martinez forced to smother Ardon Jashari’s follow-up strike.
After their promising start, Villa were again mired in the mediocrity that has plagued them in recent weeks.
Mings’ moment of madness in the 52nd minute was in keeping with Villa’s lethargy as he curiously picked up the ball after Martinez played a short goal kick to him.
Mings thought the ball should have been placed in the six-yard box for the goal kick, but Martinez had already resumed play.
The 31-year-old was left red-faced as referee Tobias Stieler pointed to the spot and Vanaken stepped up to slot home.
It was the first goal Villa had conceded in the tournament this season, with Mings put out of his misery when he was replaced soon after.
There was little sign of a Villa revival as they tamely succumbed without a single shot on target in the second half.
