UEFA CUP GROUP STAGE Aston Villa 1 MSK Zilina 2:REACHING THE knock-out stages of the Uefa Cup should represent a success for a club that has been without European football for seven years but there was no sense of achievement among Martin O'Neill and his players last night as Aston Villa stumbled into the last 32.
The Villa manager named a weakened line-up and, while he could be forgiven for prioritising Sunday's trip to Goodison Park, it was difficult to escape the conclusion that MSK Zilina had been underestimated.
Villa never recovered from a chastening opening period that saw Zilina, who had arrived with one point and bottom of Group F, race into a two-goal lead.
Ever since Zat Knight lost his place in the Villa side at the turn of the year first-team opportunities have been rare and, when he has been recalled, he has developed a habit of making mistakes. That was certainly the case here when he ducked under Vladimir Leitner's inswinging cross in the 16th minute, leaving Brad Guzan hopelessly exposed.
If that was a concession to lament, Zilina's second could only be admired. Adauto strode forward before playing an incisive pass inside Luke Young to release Peter Pekarik.
The Zilina winger had the presence of mind to cut the ball back and Peter Styvar, who pulled off Knight, opened his body before sliding a left-footed shot from the edge of the six-yard box past Guzan.
However, Nathan Delfouneso marked his first start for Villa with a superbly executed left-footed volley. Marlon Harewood more than played his part, the striker adroitly chesting Nigel Reo-Coker's long ball into the path of the 17-year-old, who steered it into the bottom corner, but it was all O'Neill's side had to show for their efforts.
ASTON VILLA:Guzan, Reo-Coker, Knight, Cuellar, Luke Young, Gardner, Salifou (Barry 68), Osbourne (Milner 65), Ashley Young, Delfouneso(Agbonlahor 76), Harewood. Subs Not Used: Friedel, Laursen, Petrov, Clarke. Booked: Osbourne. Goals: Delfouneso 28.
MSK ZILINA:Pernis, Pekarik, Vomacka, Sourek, Leitner, Strba, Jez (Tesak 90), Pecalka, Piacek, Adauto (Vladavic 70), Styvar (Rilke 86). Subs Not Used: Seman, Karoglan, Belak, Poliacek. Sent Off: Leitner (79). Booked: Leitner, Pecalka. Goals: Leitner 16, Styvar 19.
Referee:Espen Berntsen (Norway).
