FC Basel played superbly against Aston Villa, the club of the moment in the Premier League, but still lost 2-1, with Flavius Daniliuc scoring Basel's equalizer.
This put an end to Basel's extremely impressive home record in the Europa League. FCB did not lose a home game in the Europa League for ten years (8 wins, 2 draws). This longest home streak in the Europa League was broken on Thursday evening at St. Jakob-Park.
The home streak was broken because FC Basel did not defend energetically when they conceded goals - or because the Premier League ball-winners were simply a class too good, too cold-blooded than the Basel Super League players.
Shaqiri's scenes
At 0:1 after an England corner, Xherdan Shaqiri was unable to clear the ball. Evann Guessand, the 24-year-old striker from the Ivory Coast, who played for Lausanne in the Super League five years ago and was injured in Aston Villa's victory over Arsenal, profited from Shaqiri's failed attempt to clear the ball.
Basel's best phase followed. And Shaqiri corrected the unfortunate scene before 0-1 with a perfect free-kick assist to Daniliuc for Basel's equalizer after 34 minutes. Basel had already scored first before that. Before Léo Leroy's finish, however, Dominik Schmid was a few millimetres too far forward (offside).
Tielemans' debut
Despite having less than 40 percent possession, Basel kept up after the break - because the home team won the majority of the duels. But then Basel defended too carelessly against the Argentinian Emiliano Buendina, who set up the Belgian Youri Tielemans, who was also unmarked, to make it 2:1. Tielemans scored for Aston Villa for the first time this season.
In the final half-hour, Basel tried to respond again. However, Basel did not create any more good scoring chances.
FCB need points
Despite the home victories over Stuttgart and Bucharest this fall, things are no longer looking good for FC Basel in this Europa League campaign. In the very long table, Basel no longer occupy a place among the top 24 who will progress at the end of January. In the remaining games in January against Salzburg (a) and Viktoria Pilsen (h), FCB need at least three, and more likely four points to progress.
Comments on the game
The live ticker
FC Basel
Aston Villa
- Flavius Daniliuc - 1:1 (34.)
- (12.) 0:1 - Evann Guessand
- (53.) 1:2 - Youri Tielemans
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Liveticker
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Liveticker closed
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53.
Party killer Tielemans stabs Basel right through the heart
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34.
Daniliuc scores spectacularly to make it 1:1
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28.
Equalizer doesn't count - Schmid is very slightly offside
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12.
Basel fail to clear the ball - Guessand gives Aston Villa an early lead
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0.
VIP visit to St. Jakob-Park: Roger Federer supports FCB on site
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0.
Vucur: "In terms of form, there's not much to suggest a magical FCB night"
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90.+5.End of 2nd half
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87.Yellow card Aston Villa
John McGinn
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85.Substitution in FC Basel
Marin Soticek
Striker
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85.Substitution out FC Basel
Philip Otele
Striker
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85.Substitution in FC Basel
Moritz Broschinski
Striker
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85.Substitution out FC Basel
Leo Leroy
Midfielder
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84.Yellow card Aston Villa
Ezri Konsa
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80.Yellow card FC Basel
Philip Otele
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79.Substitution in Aston Villa
John McGinn
Midfielder
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79.Substitution out Aston Villa
Donyell Malen
Striker
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74.Substitution in FC Basel
Koba Koindredi
Midfielder
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74.Substitution out FC Basel
Andrej Bacanin
Midfielder
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74.Substitution in FC Basel
Ibrahim Salah
Striker
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74.Substitution out FC Basel
Bénie Traoré
Striker
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72.Yellow card FC Basel
Leo Leroy
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64.Substitution in Aston Villa
Morgan Rogers
Striker
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64.Substitution out Aston Villa
Emiliano Buendia
Striker
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64.Substitution in Aston Villa
Boubacar Kamara
Midfielder
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64.Substitution out Aston Villa
Amadou Onana
Midfielder
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64.Substitution in Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins
Striker
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64.Substitution out Aston Villa
Jadon Sancho
Midfielder
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62.Substitution in FC Basel
Albian Ajeti
Striker
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62.Substitution out FC Basel
Xherdan Shaqiri
Striker
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53.Goal for Aston Villa, 1:2 through Youri Tielemans (Emiliano Buendia)
Youri Tielemans
Midfielder
Assist: Emiliano Buendia
Striker
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46.Substitution in Aston Villa
Youri Tielemans
Midfielder
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46.Substitution out Aston Villa
Matthew Cash
Defender
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46.Kick-off 2nd half
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45.+3.End of 1st half
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36.Yellow card Aston Villa
Emiliano Buendia
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34.Goal for FC Basel, 1:1 through Flavius Daniliuc (Xherdan Shaqiri)
Flavius Daniliuc
Defender
Assist: Xherdan Shaqiri
Striker
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17.Yellow card Aston Villa
Matthew Cash
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12.Goal for Aston Villa, 0:1 through Evann Guessand
Evann Guessand
Midfielder
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1.Start of the match