Villa tame Viking to stay perfect in Champions League

Aston Villa midfielder Ross Barkley put his side ahead against Norwegian side Viking in the Champions League on Wednesday, as the home team cruised to a 3-1 victory to strengthen their push for a top-eight finish in the league phase. Emiliano Buendia added a penalty in the 37th minute, making the score 2-0, before an own goal by Henrik Heggheim shortly after the hour mark.

Villa sealed the win with a late consolation goal from Peter Christiansen. Unai Emery, Villa's manager, stated that his team played a safe match, dominating the first half and feeling comfortable. The team saw a change in momentum in the second half, conceding some corners, but overall, they were better and dominated more than less.

Villa has now won all three of their opening Champions League matches following victories against Club Brugge and Fenerbahce. The team's improved performance in the Premier League has led to five wins out of six games in all competitions, a significant turnaround after a slow start to the season. Viking had a recent 3-3 draw with Bayern Munich, but they struggled against Villa, who dominated from the start.

Nicolas Jackson scored twice, while Buendia added the penalty goal. The win leaves Villa in a strong position to finish in the top eight, guaranteeing direct qualification for the last 16 of Europe's top club competition.