Emi Buendia and John McGinn struck second-half goals as Aston Villa beat Feyenoord 2-0 in Rotterdam to make it back-to-back Europa League wins.
Villa, who beat Bologna 1-0 in their tournament opener last week, held their nerve at De Kuip after coming under heavy first-half pressure, with Buendia and then McGinn firing killer blows for Unai Emery’s side.
Back at the venue where they sealed the club’s greatest triumph by beating Bayern Munich to lift the European Cup in 1982, Villa notched their third win in a week to put their dismal start to the season behind them.
Villa were forced into a late change before kick-off, with goalkeeper Emi Martinez withdrawn through a calf injury and replaced by summer signing Marco Bizot.
Bizot was forced into the game’s first save, turning away Anis Hadj Moussa’s effort at his near post before Villa threatened through Ollie Watkins, who was hauled down on the edge of the area by Anel Ahmedhodzic.
The former Sheffield United defender was booked and was lucky to avoid a straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring chance after Slovenian referee Rade Obrenovic had checked the pitch-side monitor.
Feyenoord, who beat both Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in last season’s Champions League at the intimidating De Kuip last season, created a string of first-half chances.
Bizot denied Hadj Moussa and Ayase Ueda, who also headed narrowly wide, before Leo Sauer’s shot from outside the box then tested the Villa keeper.
The visitors breathed a sigh of relief in the 35th minute – and Feyenoord boss Robin van Persie was left furious – when Ueda headed the home side into the lead from a corner, but the ‘goal’ was dubiously ruled out for an apparent foul on Matty Cash.
Feyenoord continued to ramp up the pressure and Bizot produced a flying save to turn away Luciano Valente’s curling effort before the break.
Villa defender Ezri Konsa superbly thwarted Sem Steijn in the box at the start of the second half before Villa threatened on the break as Evann Guessand’s shot from Ian Maatsen’s cut-back skimmed a post.
Emery’s side appeared to have weathered the storm and Buendia struck the opening goal in the 61st minute, curling home into the bottom corner after being teed up by Boubacar Kamara on the edge of the area.
Villa dictated the tempo thereafter and put the game to bed when McGinn steered home his third goal in as many matches, picking his spot when the ball broke to him in the area following substitute Donyell Malen’s storming run.
Bizot was on hand again with crucial saves to deny Ueda and Cyle Larin in the closing stages, preventing the Dutch from mounting a grandstand finish.
