BRUGGE, Belgium (AP) — Aston Villa gave away an unusual penalty for handball in its Champions League game against Club Brugge on Wednesday when defender Tyrone Mings picked the ball up after receiving a short goal kick from goalkeeper Emi Martínez early in the second half.
Mings apparently thought the ball was not yet in play and walked forward to pick it up with his left hand and returned it to place it at the corner of the six-yard box.
Brugge captain Hans Vanaken converted the penalty in the 52nd minute to give Brugge a 1-0 lead, placing the ball to Martínez’s left as the goalkeeper dived to his right.
Villa won its first three games to be the surprise leader in the 36-team standings on its return to the competition after a 41-year gap.
In a similar incident last year in the Champions League quarterfinals, Bayern Munich was not given a penalty kick when Arsenal defender Gabriel was not punished for picking up a short pass from goalkeeper David Raya.
Bayern’s then-coach Thomas Tuchel later criticized the referee who had said he would not award a penalty for a “kid’s mistake.”
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