A bizarre penalty incident cost Aston Villa as they suffered their first Champions League defeat of the season at Club Brugge in Belgium.
Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez nudged the ball out of the six-yard area and defender Tyrone Mings, thinking the goal-kick had not been taken, picked up the ball.
German referee Tobias Stieler awarded a penalty for handball, much to Villa boss Unai Emery’s anger with Brugge captain Hans Vanaken converting the spot kick.
For England international Mings, who had cleared an effort off the goalline in the first half, it was a horrible moment on his European debut and in only his second game back after 14 months out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Villa, who had won their opening three games in the Champions League, including a 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in a repeat of the 1982 European Cup final, missed the chance to return to the top of the league.
They have now failed to win in four consecutive games in all competitions and travel to face Premier League leaders Liverpool on Saturday.
Emery’s Villa anniversary ends in disappointment
Despite the disappointing and freakish nature of the goal that led to the defeat, Villa have still made huge progress in a short period of time.
This match took place two years to the day since Emery’s first game in charge of Villa – a 3-1 victory over Manchester United – and the club had only been out of the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference when former boss Steven Gerrard was sacked.
They had been top of the 36-team Champions League table after three matchdays, but came into this game on the back of their worst loss of the season, a 4-1 defeat by Tottenham on Sunday.
They were under pressure in Belgium as well with Martinez making a number of fine first-half saves to keep the score level.
He pushed Ferran Jutgla’s effort on to the post and also kept out attempts from former Norwich City forward Christos Tzolis and Ardon Jashari.
Villa also had chances with Morgan Rogers having two efforts deflected off target.
Ollie Watkins shot just wide from 22 yards and John McGinn looped a header over the top before the handball incident saw the hosts take a 52nd-minute lead.
Mings was later substituted, but Emery will be unhappy at his side’s inability to convert chances after they had fallen behind, with Ian Maatsen and Boubacar Kamara failing to hit the target when well placed.
Before the game, Emery said he was targeting 16 points to qualify for the last 16 and Villa will see this as a glorious chance missed to boost their total.
But they are still in a strong position at the halfway point of the league phase.
They have already defeated one former European champion in Bayern and host another European giant in Juventus on 27 November.
After that, Villa have away games against RB Leipzig and Monaco before entertaining Celtic in their last group match.
