John McGinn’s first-half strike earned Aston Villa their first win of the season with a 1-0 victory over Bologna in their Europa League opener at Villa Park.
Unai Emery is looking to win this competition for a fifth time and the favourites to lift the trophy got their campaign up and running in a hard-fought contest.
Villa had only scored twice in their opening six games of the season, both away from home, but they finally grabbed a goal on their own patch courtesy of McGinn’s pinpoint strike.
Ollie Watkins came off the bench and saw a penalty saved in the second half as the wait for his first goal of the campaign went on, while Marco Bizot made important saves to deliver a much-needed win.
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And, following the departure of Villa’s president of football operations, Monchi, this week, the team were at least able to give their supporters something to smile about.
Emery made four changes from the side that drew 1-1 at Sunderland on Sunday as he brought in Bizot, Ian Maatsen, Pau Torres and Donyell Malen, while Watkins was one of those to make way.
The Villa fans almost had something to shout about in the sixth minute when Evann Guessand slalomed his way into the area but was only able to fire his shot straight at Lukasz Skorupski.
It only took 12 minutes for Villa to unlock the Bologna defence, though, and finally register a home goal.
Emi Buendia sent in a corner intended for Morgan Rogers and, even though his mis-hit allowed Bologna to clear, the ball fell straight to McGinn, who took a touch and picked out the bottom corner from distance.
The goal brought a confidence and freedom which has been lacking from Villa in the early part of the campaign.
Malen was next to be denied by Skorupski from close range following some lovely work in the middle from Boubacar Kamara.
Bizot was tested for the first time just after the half-hour mark when Federico Bernardeschi cut inside and shot straight at the Villa keeper from outside the area.
The Italians grew into the contest after the break, though, Bernardeschi again trying his luck in carbon copy fashion. Bizot was once more equal to the attempt.
Villa had the chance to double their lead midway through the second half after Watkins, off the bench, was brought down by Martin Vitik, but his spot-kick straight down the middle was saved by Skorupski.
And they were almost punished immediately when Santiago Castro powered a header against the crossbar.
Bologna were hunting an equaliser and Emil Holm’s header forced Bizot into another save as the clock ticked down.
The game opened up as chances started to fall at both ends and Bizot proved the hero at the death with a scrambling save to claw away Vitik’s header deep into stoppage time.
PA
