Emi Martinez HOWLER gifts RB Leipzig equaliser in Aston Villa’s crucial Champions League clash – as Alan Shearer asks ‘what on EARTH was he doing?’
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez and his team-mates conceded a goal to forget during the first-half of their Champions League clash with RB Leipzig.
The visitors were the first to draw first blood at the Red Bull Arena, with John McGinn getting his side off the mark within the opening five minutes of the tie.
Leipzig had offered little by way of threat as the game continued, with Villa content to sit on top and quest for their second.
But against the run of play, Villa saw the score levelled in awkward fashion just three minutes before the half-hour mark, thanks to some quick thinking from Lois Openda.
The Belgium international was on the run to collect a long pass from team-mate Nicolas Seiwald in Leipzig’s half in front of the box, but as Villa defenders and Martinez went to smother ball, they were deceived by its springing bounce.
Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Diego Carlos and Martinez – winner of this year’s Yashin Trophy at the Ballon d’Or ceremony – off his line could only watch in horror as Openda kept a cool head, knocked the ball past the ‘keeper, and swept it into the vacant net.
Emi Martinez was left looking red-faced after Lois Openda caught the goalkeeper on the edge of the box for RB Leipzig’s equaliser
Martinez had no idea of the RB Leipzig star’s potency as he looked to collect a routine long ball
But quick thinking from Openda helped Leipzig get back in the game during the crucial Champions League clash
On co-comms for broadcaster Amazon Prime, Alan Shearer said: ‘I spoke too soon saying they were looking really comfortable.
‘Everyone was other than the goalkeeper. What on earth was he doing? Just doesn’t see Openda going.
‘Comes out of his box and thinks the box is going to get to him, and it never does. Awful error. Just doesn’t see him coming from his righthand side.’
The pundit later added: ‘All their good work was undone by one crazy error. The last 10 to 15 minutes Leipzig have looked better and passed it better all because they’ve got into the game because of that mistake.
‘Unai Emery will be really angry and upset but there’s still plenty to play for. If they time that pass into (Ollie) Watkins they’ll get some joy in the second half. No panic just yet.’
At half-time, former Germany international Thomas Hitzlsperger agreed that it had been a ‘moment of stupidity’.
‘It was (a moment of stupidity),’ He told Amazon Prime. ‘It’s not a ball where you’re under pressure, it’s just a simple long ball. All the back four are just ball watching, nobody is watching or looking at (Lois) Openda. We talked about him before the game about how good he is.
‘I don’t know why Emi Martinez is leaving the goal. There are so many players involved who could have all played a role in preventing the goal. Nobody does.’
At the start of the match John McGinn had got the visitors off on the right note with a goal in just three minutes
Fans were left equally aghast with the display on social media, with one wondering: ‘Emi Martinez… what are you doing?’
Another added: ‘What has Martinez done there?’
A third weighed in: ‘My god what an awful goal to concede. Martinez and Carlos just staring at each other. Shocker.’
While Aston Villa currently sit nine in the Champions League standings, the new-look league phase has left few teams certain of qualification.
Only the top eight clubs will be assured of safe passage to the knockout stages when the first phase concludes.
Teams nine through to 24 will have to endure play-off matches at the start of next year, which head coach Unai Emery would ill afford adding to the already clogged Premier League calendar.
