Ajax 0-0 Aston Villa

Aston Villa played out a goalless draw against Ajax in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 tie as both sides finished with 10 men.

Brian Brobbey found the side-netting for the hosts in the first half while Emi Martínez denied Kenneth Taylor after the restart, with clear-cut opportunities limited at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.

The Villans saw Ezri Konsa sent off in the 83^rd minute for a second bookable offence, before Tristan Gooijer was then shown a second yellow for Ajax shortly afterwards.

It means Villa, having kept a hard-fought clean sheet in Amsterdam, head into next Thursday’s second leg at home with the tie finely poised.

It was only the second meeting between the two European Cup winners, having met in 2008 at Villa Park in the UEFA Cup group stage.

The Villans, who are unbeaten in seven matches on the road in all competitions, will now turn their focus to Sunday’s Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur.

Morgan Rogers was handed his full debut as Unai Emery made five changes to the side who started last weekend’s victory at Luton Town.

Fellow midfielder Tim Iroegbunam made his second Villa start, while Pau Torres also returned to the XI alongside Lucas Digne and Moussa Diaby, with Emi Martínez wearing the captain’s armband.

The Villans progressed to the last 16 of the competition having finished top of Group E, while Ajax transferred from the Europa League, before seeing off Bodø/Glimt 4-3 on aggregate in their knockout round play-off.

The two teams entered the pitch to a chorus of noise, pyrotechnics and flags as the atmosphere ramped up inside the sold-out stadium.

And it was Villa, having triumphed 4-1 at AZ Alkmaar on their previous trip to the Netherlands in October, who enjoyed the first opening of the encounter as Diaby fired straight at Ajax goalkeeper Diant Ramaj from the edge of the penalty area.

Although, chances were few and far between, Ajax skipper Jordan Henderson sending a 25-yard free-kick over the crossbar just before the half-hour mark.

Brobbey then burst through and found the side-netting in the 34^th minute as a competitive encounter remained goalless at the interval.

Matty Cash replaced Torres at half-time, with Konsa switching to the heart of defence.

Martínez made a crucial interception to prevent Taylor’s low cross from reaching Kristian Hlynsson in the middle.

Head coach Emery turned to John McGinn and Leon Bailey just after the hour in the Dutch capital.

And Martínez again had to be alert to keep out Taylor’s strike before Nicolò Zaniolo and Álex Moreno were introduced off the bench.

As the clash entered the latter stages there was late drama as firstly Konsa was dismissed for a second bookable offence in the 83^rd minute, and then Gooijer was given his marching orders.

The two sides will now meet again in seven days’ time for a place in the quarter-finals of the competition.