A specific rule permitted Emiliano Martinez to keep playing in Aston Villa’s penalty shootout against Lille despite getting a second yellow card.
French team Lille seemed likely to advance to the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League after going 2-0 up against Villa, leading the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
But Matty Cash scored a late goal to take the tie to extra-time and penalties were then needed to decide the winner.
Martinez, already on a yellow for time-wasting, got a warning from the referee for grabbing the ball after Youri Tielemans scored Villa’s first spot-kick.
The Argentina World Cup winner then blocked Nabil Bentaleb’s shot and immediately celebrated, with the Villa ‘keeper seen shushing the home fans.
Martinez seemed to keep provoking the Lille fans while Villa prepared to take their second penalty and it was at that point referee Ivan Kruzliak gave him a second yellow card.
It was surprising, then, to see Martinez continue in goal for the rest of the shootout and ultimately help Aston Villa advance by saving another penalty.
Martinez, who also stirred up controversy for his actions during and after the World Cup final penalty shootout, ran the full length of the pitch to the travelling Villa fans after the win.
The reason Martinez was not sent off is that yellow cards from the game – in this case the 90 minutes plus extra-time – do not carry over to the shootout, allowing him to continue.
Villa – who have impressed in the Premier League this season, climbing to third in the table – took a one-goal lead to northern France but were heading out after Yusuf Yazıcı and Benjamin Andre scored for the hosts.
Cash kept Unai Emery’s side alive with an 87th-minute goal and then Martinez emerged as the hero in a dramatic penalty shootout.
