Martinez the hero as Villa reach Europa Conference League semi ...

Emiliano Martinez was the hero as Aston Villa booked their place in the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-finals with a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout win against Lille.

Villa, leading 2-1 from last Thursday's quarter-final first-leg at Villa Park, looked to be heading out of the competition when goals in either half from Yusef Yazici and Benjamin Andre put the French side 2-0 ahead, and 3-2 on aggregate.

But Matty Cash pulled a late goal back to send the tie into extra-time, and then penalties, where Martinez produced two stunning saves from Nabil Bentaleb and Andre to book Villa's place in the last four.

Villa will face the winner of Olympiacos or Fenerbahce in their first major European semi-final since 1982.

There were two changes to the Villa side that won 2-0 at Arsenal, with Cash returning to the defence in place of Diego Carlos, while Douglas Luiz replaced Morgan Rogers in midfield. Teenagers Finley Munroe and Omari Kellyman were among six Villa players aged 21 or under on the substitutes' bench.

Unai Emery's side got off to a slow start and Lille were back level in this quarter-final after 16 minutes through a fine sidefooted finish by Yazici from Gabriel Gudmundsson's cut-back.

Although Villa dominated possession in the opening half, 63 per cent to the 37 cent of Lille, they failed to register a single shot on target.

Indeed it took until the 58th minute for Emery's side to threaten Lille's defence, but Cash fired into the side-netting following a neat one-two with John McGinn.

That miss proved costly and Lille took full advantage, Andre heading home Hakon Haraldsson's 67th-minute corner at the near post to turn the tie on its head and put them ahead 3-2 on aggregate.

Emery responded by bringing on Leon Bailey for Moussa Diaby, and then Jhon Duran for McGinn in a bid to get back in the tie.

Cash's thunderous 30-yard drive was tipped away for a corner by Lucas Chevalier and Bailey shot straight at the goalkeeper after Lille failed to clear the resulting corner as Villa cranked up the pressure.

Villa finally found the breakthrough with four minutes remaining when Watkins' clipped cross was dropped by Chevalier under pressure from his own player and Cash rifled home the loose ball to make it 2-1 on the night, and 3-3 on aggregate.

After a goalless period of extra time, penalties were required. Youri Tielemans, Watkins, Cash and Douglas Luiz scored for Villa, with Martinez's two magnificent saves ensuring Villa's passage through to the semi-finals.

Villa are back in action on Sunday, hosting AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League, and will be looking to open up a six-point gap on Tottenham Hotspur in fifth, with Ange Postecoglou's side facing a blank weekend.