Aston Villa 1 Bologna 0: John McGinn nets winner as late save earns Villa victory

This 1-0 triumph over Bologna to begin their Europa League campaign wasn’t the kind which will convince many Unai Emery’s men will quickly convert to something like their former selves.

But on a night when any win would do, they got one thanks to another key goal in the Villa career of John McGinn.

The skipper’s thumping 13th minute finish, the second time he has scored against Bologna in consecutive seasons, was enough to earn his team a first victory of the season in their seventh match.

It is a result which will lift the mood, at least until Sunday’s visit of Fulham in the Premier League.

Whether the confidence of Ollie Watkins has improved is questionable. The England international squandered a golden chance for his first goal of the campaign when he had a second of half penalty saved by visiting keeper Lukasz Skorupski.

For Morgan Rogers, the recipient of ironic cheers from some home supporters when he completed a pass late on, the night was even worse.

Villa’s main two sources of goals from last season still look a long way from rediscovering top form.

Skorupski had to work more than any opposing keeper all season, saving from Evann Guessand and Donyell Malen as Villa put in their best performance of the campaign in the first half.

After Watkins’ penalty miss, Bologna hit the bar through Santiago Castro before Marco Bizot denied Martin Vitik with a vital save in the closing seconds.

Bizot, deputising for the injured Emi Martinez, has now started all three of Villa’s home matches.

His evening began uncertainly. When he kicked the ball straight of play, barely a minute after McGinn had been caught in possession inside his own box, it summed up a nervy start from Emery’s men with Bologna, initially, the sharper of the teams.

Villa’s first attack brought a big chance. Guessand escaped down the right, ran at goal and with the defenders closing in, hit a low shot which Skorupski did well to keep out.

It felt a big moment, considering the scarcity of chances so far this season but just a few minutes later Villa were ahead.

Rogers might have converted a well-worked corner routine had he not completely missed the ball but it mattered not. The clearance only went as far as McGinn, who took a touch before hammering a low shot inside the post from just over 20 yards out.

Villa Park was alive and within the next 15 minutes their team should have put the game to bed. 

Skorupski saved well again to deny Malen, before Emi Buendia curled an effort wide of the far post.

The latter then squandered a golden opportunity when, having pounced on a loose pass in the Bologna box, he took a heavy touch and lost the ball before being able to set up Malen for a tap-in.

Bologna were struggling to create anything of note, with their shooting causing more trouble for supporters in the Holte End than Bizot.

The Villa keeper was forced into action early in the second half, saving a low Federico Bernadeschi shot.

Bologna were beginning to enjoy more possession around the Villa box, without creating a big chance.

Emery introduced Watkins and it required a vital touch from Martin Vitik to prevent the striker getting on the end of Guessand’s low cross.

Watkins then expected to be awarded a free-kick when he was bundled over but 10 seconds later he got something better as Vitik brought him down as he raced onto Maatsen’s pass.

With the Holte chanting his name, the England international took several deep breaths before delivering the spot-kick down the middle, Skorupski keeping it out with his legs.

From almost being killed off, Bologna had new lift and should have been level when Castro sent a header against the bar from six yards out.

Bizot then got just enough on Jens Odgaard’s header from a free-kick as the visitors threatened a leveller.

They almost got it at the death but Bizot clawed away Vitik’s looping header from under the bar.

Villa (4-2-3-1): Bizot, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen (Digne 75), Kamara, McGinn, Guessand, Rogers, Buendia, Malen Subs not used: Lindelof, Mings, Bogarde, Garcia, Elliott, Sancho, Watkins, Burrowes, Proctor (gk), Oakley (gk).

Bologna (4-3-3): Skorupski, Zortea (Holm 70), Vitik, Lucumi, Lykogiannis, Ferguson, Freuler, Odgaard (Fabbian 83), Bernardeschi (Orsolini 70), Castro (Dallinga 83), Cambiaghi (Rowe 70) Subs not used: Moro, Heggem, Dallinga, Miranda, Fabbian, Ravaglia (gk), Pessina (gk).