Aston Villa 1-0 Bologna: McGinn strike ends winless run in tense Europa League opener | OneFootball

Aston Villa secured their first win of the season with a 1-0 victory over Bologna in their Europa League opener at Villa Park, thanks to a goal from John McGinn.

The Scottish international struck in the 13th minute to give Unai Emery’s side a half-time lead. Ollie Watkins missed a second-half penalty that would have doubled the advantage, and Bologna nearly snatched a late equaliser, but Marco Bizot’s crucial save ensured Villa claimed all three points.

As it happened

Villa Park finally saw a home win on Thursday night, but the mood remained far from celebratory.

Unai Emery’s side had gone six games without a victory in all competitions, and Sunday’s draw away at newly promoted Sunderland only deepened concerns about a stuttering start. A first win of the season was desperately needed, and Villa made the perfect start under the lights.

They came out with an urgency that has been missing all season. Evan Guessand forced a sharp save from Łukasz Skorupski before captain McGinn rifled a strike from the edge of the box past the Polish keeper to give Villa an early lead. Donyell Malen went close soon after, Skorupski again keeping Bologna alive as the hosts pushed for breathing space.

But the second goal never came. Instead, Villa drifted back into the malaise that has haunted them this season, allowing Bologna to grow into the contest. Led by Scotland international Lewis Ferguson, the visitors carried the greater threat as Federico Bernardeschi’s curling effort was kept out by Bizot, drafted in to replace Emi Martínez as one of Emery’s few changes.

The second half brought more of the same, Bologna probing while Villa looked nervy. A golden chance to kill the game off arrived when Watkins was brought down in the area, but his tame penalty was easily gathered by Skorupski. Still without a goal this season, Watkins never looked confident from the spot.

Bologna pushed harder after the miss. Castro rattled the bar with a late header, before Bizot was forced into another crucial stop in stoppage time to deny Martin Vitík. Emery, a lonely figure on the touchline, cut a frustrated look as his side clung on.

Villa’s first victory of the campaign brings some relief, but it was anything but convincing. The result may lift pressure for now, yet the performance only underlined the issues still hanging over Emery’s squad.

The Line-Ups

AV: Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, McGinn; Guessand, Rogers, Buendia; Malen

BOL: Skorupski, Zortea, Vitik, Lucumi, Lykogiannis; Ferguson, Freuler, Bernardeschi, Cambiaghi; Castro, Odgaard