BRUGES, Belgium (AP) — The first goal of the Champions League season was scored by Aston Villa captain John McGinn entering the 11th minute at Club Brugge on Tuesday.
It was a quick start after last season's edition had the highest goals-per-game rate in the 34-year Champions League era.
That record rate last season of 3.47 goals was almost reached within 22 minutes in Belgium as Villa led 2-1.
The first came when McGinn placed a curling left-footed shot beyond Brugge goalkeeper Yann Sommer diving to this right and the ball nestled just inside the post.
Villa scored early after three straight games without a goal to start the Premier League season.
Brugge leveled in the 19th with a sweeping low left-footed shot by Hugo Vetlesen. Villa regained the lead through Emi Buendia with a close-range finish.
Brugge is hosting Villa and AEK Athens is hosting LASK in the early kickoffs as the first of the 189 scheduled games in the competition.
There were 655 goals scored in last season’s edition. That rate (3.47) was not reached since the 1960s in the old European Cup knockout format.
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