Aston Villa marked Unai Emery's second anniversary as manager with a commanding 2-0 victory over Bologna at a packed Villa Park, showcasing that their exciting Champions League journey is far from over.
Club captain and longest-serving player, John McGinn, ignited the celebrations with a brilliant opening goal in the 55th minute. His free kick, delivered with pinpoint accuracy from a wide position, evaded both teams’ players and slipped past Bologna’s goalkeeper, Lukasz Skorupski. The Italian side expressed frustration, claiming that Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro had denied them a free kick just moments before the goal.
Villa quickly doubled their lead nine minutes later through Jhon Duran, who marked his first start at Villa Park in nearly a year with a close-range finish, firing home his seventh goal of the season. Duran, however, was visibly frustrated when he was substituted for Ollie Watkins immediately after his goal, kicking a seat in the dugout as he exited.
With this victory, Aston Villa now boasts nine points from three matches, having previously defeated Swiss side Young Boys and European heavyweights Bayern Munich. Emery’s side continues to dazzle on their return to Europe’s elite competition, leaving fans dreaming of what’s to come as they seek to make their mark on the continental stage.
Did you read this?
