ASTON VILLA 2 AJAX 1:GARETH BARRY struck the winner as Aston Villa produced a solid performance in Group F.

Ajax made a lively start but Villa took the lead against the run of play when skipper Martin Laursen powerfully headed in Ashley Young's corner.

The hosts were pegged back when Urby Emanuelson's corner was headed in off the bar by Thomas Vermaelen.

But Barry got the winner when he coolly slotted in after being picked out by Ashley Young's cutback.

Ajax started strongly, passing the ball around superbly and pushing Villa back, but they failed to really create anything and were soon made to pay.

When Villa suddenly kicked into life and forced a corner, Young's excellent delivery was powerfully headed in by Laursen, who got to the ball ahead of stranded goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer.

The goal boosted Villa and there was now far more bite to their tackles and zip about their passes and they began to dominate their opponents.

But, as Ajax had earlier, Villa could not fashion any clear chances and they were caught by a replica of the sucker punch they had delivered themselves.

Emanuelson swung in a corner and the unmarked Vermaelen thumped home a header which went in off the underside of the crossbar.

There was a fine balance about the game, with Villa enjoying the edge physically but Ajax showing speed and guile in their counter-attacks.

ASTON VILLA:Friedel, L Young, Cuellar, Laursen, Shorey, Reo-Coker (Gardner 81), Petrov, Barry, Milner, Agbonlahor (Davies 90), A Young. Subs not used: Guzan, Sidwell, Harewood, Knight, Salifou. Booked: Cuellar, Gardner.

AJAX:Vermeer, Silva, Oleguer (Van Der Wiel 78), Vermaelen, Emanuelson, Lindgren, Sarpong (Cvitanich 55), Vertonghen, Suarez (Leonardo 60), Huntelaar, Gabri. Subs not used: Vonk, Sno, Anita, Schilder.

Referee:Thomas Einwaller (Austria).