Ollie Watkins’ second-half brace helped give Aston Villa a comfortable 3-1 lead over Bologna heading into next week’s Europa League quarter-final second leg at Villa Park.
Bologna had not tasted defeat in the competition since the opening game of the campaign where Villa beat them 1-0, and Unai Emery’s side proved to be their nemesis once again to end their 11-game European unbeaten run at the Renato Dall’Ara Stadium.
Bologna thought they had a lead but Santiago Castro’s strike was ruled out by VAR for offside before Lewis Ferguson hit the crossbar moments later.
The Premier League side managed to hold on and punished the Italian side with goals either side of half time from Ezri Konsa and Watkins.
Bologna breathed life into the contest when Jonathan Rowe scored late in the day until Watkins’ stoppage-time effort restored their two-goal advantage.
Bologna started strongly and Federico Bernardeschi sent in a cross which led to a couple of blocked shots but a rebound fell to Juan Miranda who forced the first save of the contest from Emi Martinez who batted behind.
Bologna thought they hit the front shortly after as a long ball put Villa on the back foot, Rowe bullied his way into the area and teed up Castro who saw his deflected shot go a centimetre over the goal-line despite the best efforts of Matty Cash.
Castro went to celebrate but a VAR check showed the striker timed his run slightly too late and the goal was ruled out.
Villa’s goal was beginning to live a charmed life, and this time the crossbar came to their saviour, after Konsa was dispossessed by Rowe, he sent in a ball to Ferguson who glanced a side-footed volley off the crossbar and away to safety.
Villa weathered that Bologna storm and tried to flex their own attacking muscles, John McGinn trying his luck from the edge of the area which flashed into the side-netting.
And the visitors got a crucial lead a minute before the break.
Villa had a succession of a corners, and one was whipped onto the head of Konsa who headed easily into an empty net.
Aston Villa landed another blow six minutes into the second half to double their advantage – Torbjorn Heggem aimed to play the ball out from the back but gave it away to Villa’s press and Watkins was able to get an angle on goal before slotting home.
Those goals sucked the life out of the home supporters and there was more frustration for Bologna who tried to get themselves back in the contest, the woodwork again came to Villa’s rescue when Bernardeschi rattled the post from inside the box.
Martinez produced a wonderful save to keep Villa’s two-goal lead intact when he dived across to stop Rowe’s bullet from heading into the top corner.
Bologna cut the deficit in half when Rowe found the far corner heading into three minutes of stoppage time.
But there was still time for Villa to restore that two-goal lead, the ball dropped for Watkins inside the area who was able to tap home an important third goal.
