Aston Villa put their Premier League struggles behind them as they opened their Champions League campaign with an absorbing 3-2 victory over Club Brugge. 

Having failed to score in three domestic outings this season, Unai Emery's side had no such trouble in Belgium as John McGinn, Emiliano Buendia and Nicolas Jackson hit the net, with the latter scoring his first goal for the club.  

Buendia curled wide of the right post from Villa's first sight of goal, but they struck in the 11th minute as Pau Torres carried the ball all the way to the edge of the Brugge box before offloading for McGinn, who swept a lovely, first-time strike into the bottom-left corner. 

George Hemmings then passed up two chances to make it 2-0, first forcing a save from Yann Sommer before awkwardly prodding past the far post, before Hugo Vetlesen equalised for the hosts in the 19th minute, slotting beyond Zion Suzuki from Jan Virgili's left-sided centre.

But less than three minutes after conceding that goal, Villa went back in front as Buendia ghosted in and clipped Joao Gomes' cutback past Sommer from close range.

Jackson was involved in the build-up to that goal with a clever backheel, and the former Chelsea man got himself on the scoresheet two minutes before half-time, helped by some questionable goalkeeping from Sommer. 

The former Switzerland international raced off his line to meet Torres' long ball over the top, but Jackson took the ball off his toe before coolly rolling into an empty net.

But Brugge – who had gone close through Carlos Forbs at 2-1 – were back in the contest just after the hour, with Nicolo Tresoldi keeping his cool from the spot after Aaron Wan-Bissaka was adjudged to have handled Joaquin Seys' cross.

That set the stage for the hosts to put Villa under real pressure, as Suzuki kept out Vetlesen's strike through a crowded area, then got a huge slice of fortune when Tresoldi's glancing header bounced off the post and into his arms.

But Villa continued to threaten on the counter-attack, and Brugge's last real opportunity to snatch a point was a weak header from Tresoldi, which Suzuki gathered with ease.

Villa put emphatic end to goal drought

Following Saturday's 0-0 draw with Hull City, which ensured Villa have started back-to-back Premier League campaigns with three goalless games, Emery said patience will be required as his new-look team gels.

But as it turns out, a change of competition was all that was needed. This was just the third instance of Villa scoring three first-half goals in a European Cup or Champions League match and the first away from home. They had previously accomplished that feat twice at Villa Park, against Valur in September 1981 and Besiktas 12 months later.

Across all competitions, it is the first time Villa have scored three first-half goals in any match since February 2024, when they did so against Sheffield United in the Premier League.

Things were somewhat nervy after Tresoldi's penalty, but Villa richly deserved to take all three points after carrying a constant threat in attack.

Emery's side fired off 21 shots to Brugge's 14, and despite the hosts' figures being boosted by their spot-kick, they also dominated the expected goals battle by 3 xG to 1.46.

Jackson's goal ultimately proved to be the winner, and he now has three goals and two assists in just three Champions League starts, with his other goal involvements coming while on loan at Bayern Munich last season.