Ouattara’s debut strike sets Andrews era in motion as Brentford edge Villa

Dango Ouattara marked his Brentford debut with a decisive 12th-minute goal to seal a 1-0 win over Aston Villa and hand new head coach Keith Andrews a first home league victory. The club-record signing sprang the decisive moment from route-one origins: Caoimhin Kelleher’s long clearance was nodded on by Igor Thiago, Ouattara outpaced Pau Torres and, after Emiliano Martinez parried his initial effort, the ball ricocheted off Matty Cash and back into his path for a composed finish.

From there the contest settled into a study in contrast. Villa dictated long stretches — 76% of possession and 17 attempts — but could not pierce Brentford’s organised block, registering only two shots on target. Mikkel Damsgaard’s thunderous volley was ruled out by VAR for a foul by Nathan Collins on Martinez, and Kelleher’s steadiness ensured Andrews’s side banked their first Premier League points of the campaign, lifting them to 10th while Villa remain winless and goalless in 16th.

Route one, ruthless finish

The breakthrough encapsulated both Brentford’s pragmatism and Ouattara’s instincts. Kelleher drove long early, Thiago’s deft flick on halfway turned Villa, and the new arrival won a footrace with Torres before keeping his cool. Martinez’s block only delayed the outcome; the rebound fell kindly — via Cash’s attempted recovery — and Ouattara tucked away at the second time of asking.

For a player signed only days earlier, it was a strikingly swift alignment with Brentford’s approach. Andrews later praised the selfless nature of his work out of possession, and the debutant’s tireless pressing complemented his finishing touch. The understanding with Thiago flickered promisingly, giving the hosts an outlet whenever pressure needed relieving.

VAR intervention and a missed cushion

The home crowd thought the cushion had arrived shortly before the interval when Damsgaard met a dropping ball with a rasping volley into the roof of the net. After review, however, VAR advised that Collins had impeded Martinez in the build-up and the goal was disallowed, preserving the slender margin.

Damsgaard’s broader influence still told. Back in the side after missing the opening-day defeat at Nottingham Forest, he threaded possession and linked transitions with Ouattara and Thiago in a first half that belonged to Brentford for intensity and incision. The second half asked for something different: deeper lines, discipline without the ball, and a willingness to defend the box.

Villa’s control without incision

Unai Emery’s side took command after a slow start, moving the ball patiently and camping in Brentford territory for extended spells. John McGinn drew a low save from Kelleher before the break and Morgan Rogers flashed wide on the counter, but too many attacks stalled in front of a red-and-white wall, forcing sideways circulation and speculative efforts.

The numbers told the story: despite volume of possession and shots, Villa mustered just two efforts on target. Set-piece flurries came and went, and Kelleher remained largely unruffled by what reached him. With a goalless draw against Newcastle to begin the season, the visitors’ search for a sharper edge in the final third continues; new forward Evann Guessand showed hints of his craft on debut, but the finishing touch eluded the team.

A template affirmed, a task set

If Andrews’ appointment invited questions about continuity, this display offered answers. Brentford snarled into duels, chased second balls and, crucially, managed the game with a control that belied early-season jitters. The head coach spoke of spirit, character and an out-of-possession plan delivered pretty impeccably — traits that shaped the result as much as the goal did.

Emery, meanwhile, pointed to the opening 20 minutes as decisive, praising his side’s subsequent dominance while urging calm as the transfer window’s final week approaches. For Brentford, the night marked a clear step forward; for Villa, the platform of control is there, but the spark to convert it into goals remains the pressing brief.