It was no anniversary waltz for Aston Villa, but Dwight Yorke produced something special to help Brian Little celebrate his 44th birthday yesterday. It was also three years since the Villa manager took the post and he admitted afterwards: "In that time this must be the most important goal that he has scored for me."
The priceless away goal put some gloss on a ponderous Villa display in which the lively, hard-working Steaua could have scored more. Having said that, it was to Villa's credit that on a bumpy pitch and in front of a fanatical home crowd they came back after conceding two goals in two first-half minutes.
Both came out of the blue, the first beginning with a sloppy mistake by the lethargic Stan Collymore and ending with a large slice of luck. The big striker had dropped deeper and deeper in search of the ball as the half progressed and in the 30th minute he received a pass just inside the Steaua half.
But a lazy piece of control saw the ball bounce away from his first touch and straight to Catalin Munteanu. It could not have fallen to a more dangerous pair of feet. The 18-yearold stylish midfielder, the club's leading scorer with 19 goals this season, is one of the rising stars of Steaua and has just broken into the national side.
From his position wide on the left he unleashed a 40-yard, cross-field pass to Marius Lacatus which caught Villa dangerously under manned at the back. The experienced international striker was able to hoist in a cross to the back post where Cristian Ciocoiu's shot hit a post, came out and struck the diving Michael Oakes on hand and body before rebounding back over the line.
Ciocoiu is not a regular in the first team and was playing only because the first-choice striker, Ionei Danciulescu, is ineligible for this competition, having signed past the deadline.
Two minutes later he had another goal, this one credited to his name, and there was nothing lucky about it. Iosif Rotariu crossed from the left and Ciocoiu, near the penalty spot with his back to goal, rocketed a perfect bicycle kick past Oakes.
The two-goal lead that Steaua took into the interval was no more than their hardworking, skilful play deserved. Villa began patiently, but patience slowly turned to ponderousness as the Premiership side conceded dangerous free-kicks, gave the ball away and looked uninspired going forward.
Savo Milosevic may be looking for a move, but he and Collymore were unimpressive. Mark Draper's run and shot wide was Villa's only decent chance of the half.
It was a worryingly different story at the other end. Damian Militaru twice went close and Lacatus's run past two defenders ended with an 18-yard shot which Oakes saved acrobatically.
Eight minutes after the re-start Steaua went even closer to extending their lead when another astute pass from Munteanu set up Lacatus for a close-range shot from a narrow angle which hit the bar.
Villa knew all was not lost if they could get an away goal, for it would mean having to win only 1-0 in the second leg to ensure victory. A minute after Steaua hit the bar the priceless goal arrived. Collymore and Alan Wright worked the ball out wide left to Milosevic and the Yugoslav international looped in a rare, decent Villa cross on to the head of Yorke, six yards out. His downward header found the bottom corner.
With confidence renewed Villa took a firm grip on the game, but will know they must produce a more commanding performance over 90 minutes in a fortnight to ensure their first European quarter-final place for 15 years.
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