Aston Villa cruise past struggling Bologna FC in the third round of the UEFA Champions League qualifying matches without Ollie Watkins.
In form English premier league side, Aston Villa FC have bestowed a convincing defeat on their Italian Seri-A opponent, Bologna in the ongoing UEFA Champions League group stages league phase.
The third round of group stage games witnessed Aston Villa hosting Bologna FC at their home grounds, Villa Park in a bloodthirsty ninety-minutes of soccer action in England on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
Further, the much enviable three maximum points from the inception of the game by referee saw both teams exhibiting their utmost desire to kill the in the early stages of the game. However, the first half of the game was entangled with nothing short of an English side wanting to impose it authority on their opponent, coupled to a sense of defensive solidity.
Meanwhile, on the side of the Italian club, Bologna during the first half action displayed immense mental fortitude, soaking all the attacks from the home side hence, the first forty-five minutes including stoppage time ended in a barren with both teams keeping their clean-sheets intact.
Following the resumption of the game after the break, the players now only had an option to walk the talk of the pep-talks they got from their respective managers. Aston Villa proceeded from were they left-off, after Ross Barkley and Freuler were both shown a yellow card on the 50th and 53rd minutes on the ticket of Aston Villa and Bologna respectively for a foul committed.
It only took the right attacking winger of the home side, McGinn to break the virginity of the game from a wondrous free-kick curler to the far corner to hand over a one goal lead to his side on the tenth minutes since the start of the second-half.
Subsequently, the center-forward for Aston Villa, Jhon Duran did not hesitate to pounce on a half-chance cross in and around the sixteen-yard box, hence, providing his team a breathing space for a two goal lead on the 64th minute of normal time.
The game after such a two quickfire goals sponsored by McGinn and Duran, only saw not clear-cut chances by the traveling side, few more chances were created but could not go pass the goal-keeper of Bologna therefore, it all ended in a 2:0 score line in which was enough to secure the three maximum points for Aston Villa.
Additionally, after the third round of matches for Aston Villa in the new league phase of the UEFA Champions League group stages, they have three wins, zero goals conceded and a total of nine points which is enough to keep them on top of the league table.