Conference League: Aston Villa thrash Ajax to move into quarter-finals

Aston Villa thrashed Ajax at a raucous Villa Park to move into the Europa Conference League quarter-finals - their first appearance in the last eight of a major European competition since 1998.

Goals from Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey, substitute Jhon Duran and Moussa Diaby sealed a thoroughly-deserved victory on a memorable night for the Villa fans.

After it finished 0-0 in the first leg in the Netherlands, Watkins scored his 22nd club goal of the season in all competitions when he superbly headed in Douglas Luiz's right-wing corner in the 25th minute.

However, the England striker, named earlier on Thursday in Gareth Southgate's Three Lions squad for the Wembley friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, went off in the 33rd minute with an injury.

Four-time European champions Ajax nearly scored an equaliser in the fifth minute of first-half injury time, but Matty Cash did excellently to clear Brian Brobbey's effort off the line with keeper Emiliano Martinez well beaten.

Ajax were captained by England midfielder Jordan Henderson in his first club match in the country since leaving Liverpool last summer to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq, only to then move to Ajax in January.

But Henderson lost possession in the build-up to Villa's second goal, with Bailey producing great skill and two stepovers to create space before drilling into the net.

Ajax had midfielder Sivert Mannsverk sent off for two bookable offences in the 66th minute and Duran blasted in a third goal, with the ball going in off the underside of the crossbar. Diaby slotted in a fourth nine minutes from time to confirm their progress.

The draw for the Europa Conference League quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will all take place on Friday, 15 March from 13:00 GMT at Uefa's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland and you can follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website.