In the first leg of their Europa League quarterfinal, Aston Villa won 3-1 at the Stadio Dall’Ara against Bologna. It was a match that could have been more satisfying for Italiano’s men, but ultimately ended in a serious misstep. The Rossoblu dominated the game, but defensive errors and inaccuracies cost them dearly.
Bologna-Aston Villa 1-3
Bologna started on the right foot, creating several chances. Castro even took the lead in the 26th minute, but it was revoked after a VAR review for a near-offside. A few minutes later, Ferguson hit the crossbar, with Bologna seemingly in control. The final blow came in the 44th minute: Konsa He unlocked the match following a corner, taking advantage of Ravaglia’s poorly timed exit, which left space for the winning header.
In the second half, Aston Villa took the lead. In the 51st minute, Heggem lost the ball in midfield and Buendia passed it to Watkins, who doubled the lead. Bologna tried to respond, but also had to deal with bad luck when Bernardeschi hit the post. Rowe, definitely one of the most inspired of the rossoblù, reduced the gap in the 90th minute with a great goal from the edge of the box that rekindled hopes. Hopes that, however, were short-lived: just four minutes later, Watkins, left all alone, he scored his second goal of the evening, definitively closing the match.
With this 3-1 win over Aston Villa, Bologna now finds itself with its back to the wall. To advance, Italiano’s team must win at Villa Park by at least three goals. The return match, scheduled for April 16, will therefore require a real feat.
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