JOHN MCGINN sparked Aston Villa’s season into life in the Europa League.
The Scotland international fired home an early beauty that allowed boss Unai Emery to taste success at the seventh time of asking as the pressure was finally lifted at Villa Park.
McGinn delivered a low left-foot drive from the edge of the area to settle home nerves as Villa’s chief rang the changes – determined to elicit a response from his under-producing squad.
It was only his side’s third goal of a campaign that simply has not caught fire and it brought a welcome respite from the mini-crisis that has developed during the past few days.
The goal did mean he has been the most prolific player from outside the box in major European competitions since 2023/24 with four.
Indeed, the margin of victory would have been greater had striker Ollie Watkins – who was one of those dropped to the bench – not missed a penalty midway through the second half.
Still, the triumph was sufficient to silence the doubters whose grumbles have become more vociferous in the past few days.
A 1-1 draw on Wearside against Sunderland – who played for over an hour with ten men – was followed by the exit of highly-regarded recruitment guru Monchi just 24 hours later.
A poor run of results, along with the sudden exit of a long-time confidant of the manager, had done little to improve the mood of Villa’s supporters following their barren opening to the campaign.
Emery – possibly with one eye on Fulham’s visit to Villa Park on Sunday in the Premier League – dropped several of his usual starters.
Out went Watkins, keeper Emi Martinez, Tyrone Mings and Lucas Digne as he fielded a much-changed and experimental line-up.
Before kick-off, it was Emery’s team sheet that had set tongues wagging.
The most glaring absence was keeper Martinez. The Argentine was suffering from a ‘small injury’ according to the club’s boss.
He didn’t specify what that was but it presented another opportunity to Marco Bizot who made his fourth start between the sticks.
The veteran Dutch keeper has been the least of Emery’s worries so far this season.
But this never-seen-before team – and one that’s unlikely to start again – started with the kind of impetus that has been missing during Villa’s winless start to the campaign.
Bologna should have known what to expect. It was only 11 months ago that the two clubs met in the Champions League at the same venue.
It was McGinn’s 13th-minute strike that caused Villa’s jitters to cease.
Emi Buendia’s short corner routine with Donyell Malen presented Morgan Rogers with a clear chance to shoot just 12 yards out.
The England international, however, produced an air-shot – and that just about summed up his season so far.
Rogers’s campaign has spluttered along and his form has mirrored Villa’s so far as both have come up short but the ball was cleared only so far as the home captain who controlled a drilled a low shot inside the post.
Villa enjoyed by far the better of the half but Bologna returned after the interval with a renewed sense of purpose.
They failed to test Bizot and looked to have paid for that when Villa earned themselves a penalty midway through the second half.
Ian Maatsen nicked possession from Bologna, who were sloppy trying to clear their lines.
The Dutchman fed Watkins who cut into the area before having his heels clipped by defender Martin Vitik.
He stepped up to take the kick himself but fluffed his lines.
The England international took the responsibility himself only to choose the option of hitting the ball down the middle.
Skorupski dived to his right, but was still able to block and an opportunity to kill off the game went begging.
Villa were fortunate not to pay for that three minutes later. Riccardo Orsolini’s centre from the right was met by Santiago Castro whose header cannoned into the crossbar.
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