Drama as Aston Villa denied late win over Juventus after VAR call

Aston Villa were denied a famous UEFA Champions League victory over Juventus as Morgan Rogers’ late goal was ruled out in the 96th minute.

In what was the last act of the game, Rogers nudged into an empty net after Michele Di Gregorio dropped a routine catch, but it was chalked off after the VAR adjudged that the goalkeeper had been fouled.

There were still positives to take for Unai Emery’s side, who picked up a potentially vital point in their quest to reach the knockout phase.

The pre-game atmosphere was electric but the action in the opening period fell well short of living up to the noise created by the Villa faithful.

Juventus dominated the ball but failed to do anything meaningful with it, while the hosts relied on the odd moment and set-pieces.

Ollie Watkins drew a fine save from Di Gregorio with his fizzing effort in the 36th minute, which was the game’s first shot on target, before Lucas Digne hit the bar with a free-kick on the stroke of half-time.

The tempo increased in the second period as both sides probed for a decisive goal. And as he so often does, Emi Martinez produced heroics when he needed to, somehow clawing the ball out after Francisco Conceicao’s close-range header.

At the other end, it looked like John McGinn had broken the deadlock when his first-time shot beat Di Gregorio, only for Manuel Locatelli to come up with a sublime block on the line.

It then seemed Rogers had created another iconic Villa Park moment when he found the net in the fourth minute of stoppage time, but the end result was fair and reflective of a game that lacked quality when it was needed most.

The result leaves Villa ninth on 10 points, while Juventus are 19th on eight points.

“It’s so soft, let’s be honest,” TNT Sports pundit Peter Crouch said of Rogers’ disallowed goal, and it is hard to argue with him.

Diego Carlos jumped for the ball with Michele Di Gregorio and the goalkeeper spilled it under the pressure.

You could see the relief on Thiago Motta’s face on the touchline when the decision came through – he knew his side had got away with one.

You wonder whether that would have been given if it was not the last play of the game.

Not an easy decision but the Villa keeper gets it for his incredible second-half save. Conceicao’s header looked in and he somehow made up an obscene amount of ground to claw it out.

Who knows how he continues to produce such heroics time and time again, but no one should be surprised anymore. He had little else to do other than the routine, but that one moment likely earned his side a point.

Aston Villa: Martinez 9, Carlos 6, Torres 7, Cash 6, Digne 7, Tielemans 7, Bailey 7, Rogers 7, McGinn 6, Watkins 7

Juventus: Di Gregorio 7, Savona 6, Kalulu 7, Gatti 7, Cambiaso 7, Locatelli 9, Thuram 8, Conceicao 8, Yildiz 7, Koopmeiners 6, Weah 6

45+1′ OFF THE BAR: Digne hits it and it looks to be heading into the top bin but it clatters the bar and goes out for a goal-kick.

65′ WHAT. A. SAVE! Juventus have a corner and it bounces through to the back post, where Conceicao is waiting. He heads it towards the empty net, but Martinez somehow claws it out. The referee confirms it didn’t cross the line as Villa once again have their keeper to thank.

71′ BLOCK: McGinn has to score. The Scotsman is found by Bailey seven yards out but can’t find the net. It’s actually a sublime block by Locatelli as Di Gregorio was beaten.

90+4′ GOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL! ASTON VILLA HAVE WON IT: Tielemans floats a free-kick in and it looks an easy take for Di Gregorio. But he drops it and it falls for Rogers, who has the simplest of tap-ins. Villa Park erupts, but it is being checked for a potential foul on the keeper. And it won’t count!

• Villa are now winless in their last seven games