Lille's sucker punches catch out Aston Villa

Aston Villa 0 Lille 2 Lille win on 3-1 aggregate

In the tournament without a trophy, a performance without promise by Aston Villa. Having apparently done the hard part in France, Graham Taylor's team tumbled out of the Intertoto Cup in a bad-tempered third-round, second-leg match last night, succumbing to two Lille goals separated by 45 seconds of play and half-time.

Villa's prospects of back-door entry into the Uefa Cup for the second successive year looked good when they established first-half ascendancy. Yet they were caught out by Abdelilah Fahmi's fortuitous goal in first-half stoppage time and again by Nicolas Bonnal with the second half in its infancy, after which they became increasingly ragged.

Lille's Senegalese international, Sylvain N'Diaye, was sent off after a fracas in the final minute of normal time. He was unlucky to be singled out in a contest littered with ugly challenges and flare-ups.

After the Villa manager, Graham Taylor, had admitted enquiring about Matt Holland, the Ipswich and Republic of Ireland midfielder, his team selection surprised many. Darius Vassell was a starter despite being previously ruled out with blistered feet, whereas Alpay Ozalan, the Turkish defender, was not even on the bench after complaining of feeling ill – an affliction that leaves him free to play in European competition for another club and fuels speculation that he will soon leave the club.Dion Dublin deputised at the back.

Villa created four good chances. In the seventh minute, Vassell hared away from Mathieu Delpierre in the inside-left channel but could not angle his scuffed shot beyond Gregory Wimbée. Just before the half-hour, the 6ft 7in Peter Crouch placed his shot well but Rafael Schmitz cleared off the line. Gareth Barry was inches away from a rare goal with a volley and then crossed only for Crouch to head wastefully high.

Lille looked a pale shadow of the side who held Manchester United in the Champions' League last season, counter-attacking fitfully and resorting to spoiling tactics. But they scored from their first real opportunity seconds before the break, Fahmi's 30-yard deflected free-kick trickling past a wrong-footed Peter Enckelman.

Incredibly, Lille doubled their advantage in their next attack, immediately after the interval. This time Enckelman was at fault, allowing a drive by Philippe Brunel to spill from his grasp in the wet conditions. Bonnal followed up, gleefully tapping in the loose ball.

Graham Taylor's face was like thunder, lightning flashed over the Holte End but, instead of a bolt from the claret and blue Villa, looking lightweight in midfield following the departures of George Boateng and Paul Merson, replied with wayward shots from Crouch and Vassell.

Lille, more intent on gamesmanship than goals before they actually scored, defended with a steely resolve. They now receive VfB Stuttgart in the first leg of one of three Intertoto final-round ties next Tuesday.

Aston Villa (4-3-3): Enckelman; Delaney, Mellberg, Dublin (Hendrie, h-t), Staunton; Taylor (Hadji, 57), Hitzlsperger, Barry; Allback, Crouch (S Moore, 82), Vassell. Substitutes not used: Boulding, Samuel, Ridgewell, Postma (gk).

Lille (4-4-1-1): Wimbée; Chalmé, Delpierre, Fahmi, Schmitz; Landrin, N'Diaye, Bonnal (Cheyrou, 63), Tafforeau; Brunel (Boutoille); Moussilou (Sterjovski, 86). Substitutes not used: Tapia, Pichot, D'Amico, Malicki (gk).

Referee: P Gomes Costa (Portugal).