Martínez was the hero as Villa reached the Europa Conference League semi-finals

Emiliano Martinez was the hero as Aston Villa booked their place in the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-finals with a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout win over Lille.

Villa, who led 2-1 in the first leg of last Thursday's quarter-final at Villa Park, were eliminated when goals in either semi-final from Youssef Yassisi and Benjamin Andre put France 2-0 up. 2 in total.

But Matty Cash pulled a late goal back to send the tie into extra-time and then penalties, where Martinez made two brilliant saves from Nabil Bentaleb and Andre to book Villa's place in the last four.

Villa will face the winner of Olympiakos or Fenerbahce in their first major European semi-final since 1982.

Both Liverpool and West Ham United were disappointed to be knocked out of the UEFA Europa League.

Mohamed Salah's seventh-minute penalty gave Liverpool a 1-0 win in Atlanta, but the Reds were beaten 3-1, while David Moyes' West Ham drew 1-1 with Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen and lost 3. -1 in total.

Michel Antonio put the Hammers ahead but Jeremy Frimbank's late shot took a poor deflection off Aaron Cresswell to extend Leverkusen's unbeaten run to 44 matches.

How Villa's rivalry unfolded

Two changes were made to Villa's 2-0 win at Arsenal, with Cash returning to defense in place of Diego Carlos, while Douglas Lewis replaced Morgan Rodgers in midfield. Teenagers Finlay Munro and Omari Kellyman are among six Villa players aged 21 or under on the substitutes' bench.

Unai Emery's side started slowly and Lille equalized again after 16 minutes in this quarter-final through Yasisi's excellent side-footed finish from Gabriel Gudmundsson's cut-back.


Despite Villa dominating the opening half, they failed to register a single shot on target, 63 per cent to Lille's 37 per cent.

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It wasn't really until the 58th minute that Emery's side threatened Lille's defence, but Cash fired into the side-netting following a neat one-two with John McGinn.

That mistake proved costly and Lille took full advantage, Andre Hokon headed home Haraldsson's 67th-minute corner at the near post to turn the tie on its head and put them 3-2 up.

A positive response

Emery responded by bringing on Leon Bailly for Moussa Diaby and then Jhon Duran for McGinn to rejoin the tie.

Cash's thunderous 30-yard drive was deflected for a corner by Lucas Chevalier and Bailly shot straight at the goalkeeper after Lille failed to clear a corner as Villa piled on the pressure.

With Villa finally down with four minutes remaining, Watkins' clipped cross was brought down by Chevalier under pressure from his own player and Cash swept home the loose ball to make it 2-1 on the night and 3-3 on aggregate.

After goalless extra time, a penalty was called for. Yuri Tielmans, Watkins, Cash and Douglas Lewis scored for Villa, while two brilliant saves from Martinez ensured Villa progressed to the semi-finals.

Villa shootout

Villa host AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League are back in action on Sunday and will open a six-point gap on fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, with Ange Postecoglou's side facing an empty weekend.

How Liverpool's game unfolded

Jurgen Klopp made six changes for the first leg, with Salah, Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson, Dominik Szobozlai and Luis Diaz returning.

Former Arsenal defender Sead Kolasinac was one of two changes to Atalanta's starting XI from the 3-0 win at Anfield.

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Liverpool got off to a nightmare start as Salah sent goalkeeper Juan Mousseau the wrong way from the penalty spot after seven minutes following Matteo Ruggeri's volley.

Foul, penalty v Atlanta

It signaled the ferocity of the goalmouth action as Musso left his line to deny Diaz and then parried Szoboszlo's long-range drive.

Salah stretched well before the break but Liverpool struggled to create meaningful openings in the second half.

Klopp's side will quickly turn their attention to their title challenge, and Sunday's trip to Fulham, where victory will see Liverpool return to the top of the Premier League table.

How West Ham's game unfolded

Three changes were made to the West Ham team that won the first leg 2-0 in Germany. Lucas Paqueta and Emerson miss out through suspension, while Konstantinos Mavropanos is ruled out through injury. However, Jarrod Bowen made a welcome return from injury, while Nayef Akurt and Edson Alvarez also arrived.

West Ham started with intent and took the lead after 13 minutes when Bowen whipped in a superb cross for Antonio, who beat goalkeeper Matej Gower to the ball and into the empty net.

Antonio Cole v Leverkusen

Bowen had a great chance to level the tie, but Mohammad Quduz fired straight at Gowar after picking him out at the back post with a sublime floater.

Bowen, West Ham v Leverkusen

West Ham kept up the pressure, but they were forced to adapt when Angelo Ogbonna replaced the injured Agurd in first-half stoppage time.

Spurred on by a raucous London Stadium crowd, West Ham continued to press in search of a second goal to force extra-time, but Leverkusen equalized in the 89th minute to make it 3-1.

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Frimpong made amends for a miss minutes earlier when he cut inside on the left, created an angle and his shot deflected off the back of Cresswell and beyond Lukasz Fabianski.

Cresswell, West Ham v Leverkusen

Leverkusen will now meet Brighton & Hove Albion's winners AC Milan in the last four against Roma.

West Ham return to Premier League action on Sunday with the derby at Crystal Palace, kick-off at 15:00 BST.

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