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Boss Unai Emery admitted Aston Villa got lucky after fighting back to beat AZ Alkmaar.<\/p>\n
Ollie Watkins\u2019 winner put them on the brink of qualification in the Europa Conference League after a 2-1 home win.<\/p>\n
Yet, the fightback started in controversial fashion when Diego Carlos levelled after Boubacar Kamara had blazed over and referee Luis Godinho mistakenly awarded Villa a corner.<\/p>\n
Vangelis Pavlidis gave the hosts a deserved lead but last year\u2019s semi-finalists are now facing an early exit.<\/p>\n
Villa are second, behind Legia Warsaw on head-to-head, and a point from their final two games will seal progress from Group E.<\/p>\n
Emery said: \u201cIt was a very good chance for Kamara, it was fantastic, but it was not a corner, it\u2019s clear, and after this mistake we score.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very happy because when we are winning a game like tonight we can understand this competition better and the processes we\u2019re trying to build.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very proud of our work in this competition. We\u2019re getting better.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe scored one that was offside more or less. We have to accept the referee\u2019s decision, always.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very proud of our work in this competition. We\u2019re getting better. AZ are a very good team. I\u2019m very happy. The reaction when they scored the goal was fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Villa started brightly and Clement Lenglet headed in Leon Bailey\u2019s cross \u2013 after Pavlidis blocked Watkins\u2019 goalbound header \u2013 only for the winger to have been ruled offside.<\/p>\n
Yet the hosts lost their way as the half wore on, Pavlidis tried to lob Emi Martinez and Alkmaar finished on top with Pavlidis testing Martinez.<\/p>\n
It turned out the striker was just getting his eye in as he opened the scoring six minutes into the second half.<\/p>\n
Villa were caught out by Riechedly Bazoer\u2019s ball over the top and Pavlidis outpaced Lenglet to beat Martinez.<\/p>\n
The hosts were not behind for long, though, when Diego Carlos nodded in Bailey\u2019s corner \u2013 after the officials had missed it was Kamara who blazed over from six yards.<\/p>\n
Villa had the initiative and it was no surprise when Watkins popped up with the winner with nine minutes left, nodding in Douglas Luiz\u2019s clever pass.<\/p>\n
Alkmaar boss Pascal Jensen said: \u201cThe interesting thing I was looking at was can we compete better in the first game (a 4-1 loss)? In Alkmaar we lost because we conceded two easy goals.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was a bit shocked when we started off, we conceded an early goal and we were fortunate it was disallowed. We were very unfortunate to concede a corner which wasn\u2019t, they scored from it and the whole stadium woke up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI contacted the fourth official and I asked him and he said \u2018I don\u2019t know.\u2019 I think in international competition VAR can come on the radio and help but he didn\u2019t. With all the technology and extra eyes it shouldn\u2019t be possible.\u201d<\/p>\n