ASTON Villa advanced to the last 32 of the Uefa Cup despite crashing to defeat against 10-man MSK Zilina.
Goals from Vladimir Leitner, who was sent off in the second half for two bookable offences, and Peter Styvar put MSK in control before Nathan Delfouneso pulled one back on his full debut for Martin O'Neill's side.
The home side came close to an eq
ualiser in a frantic finale – Craig Gardner hitting the post with an injury-time header – but as they ran out of time, news arrived that they will still join Hamburg and Ajax in the knockout stages.
Villa manager O'Neill made eight changes from the side that drew with Fulham on Saturday for the game against the Slovakian team at Villa Park.
Luke Young, Ashley Young and Carlos Cuellar were the only survivors in the starting line-up from the goalless draw with the Cottagers.
O'Neill handed a first start to 17-year-old striker Delfouneso while Nigel Reo-Coker was handed the captain's armband in the absence of the rested Martin Laursen.
The changes made for a sluggish start by the home side and this was pounced on by their less-illustrious visitors as they grabbed two goals in the space.
First Leitner's curling, right-footed cross from the left eluded everyone and nestled in the corner of the net, then in a devastating counter-attack, Adauto laid the ball off to Peter Pekarik on the right whose cross was coolly slotted in by Styvar.
But Delfouneso brought Villa back into the game with a stunning first senior goal.
Nigel Reo-Coker floated the ball up to Marlon Harewood on the edge of the box and he chested it down for Delfouneso who crashed a low left-footed volley past the dive of Pernis.
It was the just the tonic Villa needed after a lethargic start to the game.
Zilina were still a threat and Zdeno Strba found himself with a free run into the Villa box after racing onto a Pekarik pass, but his control let him down.
Delfouneso found himself in a good position on the left-hand side of the Zilina box, but was caught in two minds and his cross-cum-shot did not test Pernis.
Shortly after, Pekarik then had to make a crucial interception inside his own area to cut out a low Harewood cross just as Ashley Young was lining up a shot.
Ashley Young was trying his best to rescue the game for Villa and Pecalka was booked for bringing him down.
Pernis did well to block a close-range attempt by Gardner following a Gareth Barry free-kick. O'Neill made his final switch in bringing on Gabriel Agbonlahor in place of Delfouneso with 15 minutes left.
Zilina were reduced to 10 men after 79 minutes when Leitner fouled Agbonlahor and was sent off for a second bookable offence. Gardner headed wide from a Reo-Coker cross as Villa failed to grab an equaliser and in injury-time hit the post with a header from a James Milner centre.
Aston Villa: Guzan, Reo-Coker, Knight, Cuellar, L Young, Gardner, Salifou (Barry 68), Osbourne (Milner 65), A Young, Delfouneso (Agbonlahor 76), Harewood. Subs not used: Friedel. Laursen, Petrov, Clarke.
MSK Zilina: Pernis, Pekarik, Vomacka, Sourek, Leitner, Strba, Jez (Tesak 90), Pecalka, Piacek, Adauto (Vladavio 70), Styvar (Rilka 86). Subs not used: Seman, Karoglan, Belak, Poliacek.
Ref: E Berntsen (Nor) Att: 28,797
