Aston Villa recorded their first competitive win of the season by beating Bologna 1-0 in their opening game in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League (UEL), as the Italians’ winless run against English opposition stretched to six matches.
Goals have been Villa’s primary issue in the infancy of this campaign, and it seemed for all the world as though Evann Guessand would break their Villa Park drought for the season when he strode clear on goal, but his low drive was repelled by the legs of Lukasz Skorupski inside the opening 10 minutes.
Unai Emery’s men kept their foot firmly to the floor in the opening stages, and the UEL specialist eventually saw his side nose ahead when a half-cleared corner fell favourably on the edge of the area to John McGinn, whose low drive found the bottom corner.
Many Villa fans had hoped the floodgates would open after their side got one goal, but that didn’t prove to be the case, as Bologna largely frustrated their hosts.
A last-ditch block denied Donyell Malen from doubling Villa’s advantage just minutes after McGinn’s opener, and while their advantage remained at just a single goal, the door remained gently ajar for Bologna.
It wasn’t one the visitors looked likely to break through, though, wasting several big opportunities in the final third, particularly Federico Bernardeschi, who, despite being unopposed on the edge of the area, incredibly managed to slice an effort yards wide of the target.
Emery certainly wasn’t content to see his side leading by just a single goal, and he turned to his bench within 15 minutes of the restart to bring on the talismanic Ollie Watkins.
His decision almost paid immediate dividends too, as he nearly got on the end of Guessand’s delivery, but a last-ditch lunging challenge from Martin Vitík prevented what would almost have been a certain goal.
The pair were duelling again moments later, and this time, Watkins was felled in the area by Vitík, but fortunately for the Bologna defender, Skorupski bailed him out as he kept the England forward’s tame penalty out with his legs.
Villa’s mood almost went from bad to worse, only for a stroke of good fortune to see Santiago Castro’s bullet header crash back off the crossbar a matter of minutes after the missed penalty.
Substitute Jadon Sancho wasted a great chance to wrap up the game five minutes from time when his wild strike found the Holte End, but Villa managed to survive a nervy last few minutes to see out their first competitive victory of the season and kick off their UEL campaign in perfect fashion.
Flashscore Man of the Match: John McGinn (Aston Villa)