Aston Villa equal club record that’s stood for 43 years with Champions League triumph over Bologna
Aston Villa’s sparkling season has continued as they equalled a long-standing club record with to 2-0 win over Bologna in the Champions League. Goals from John McGinn and Jhon Duran extended Villa’s unbeaten run across all competitions to ten games, with their last defeat coming against Arsenal in August. McGinn scored the opener for Villa against BolognaGetty Duran then scored his first Champions League goal for Villa to seal the victoryPA Wire McGinn scored directly from an in-swinging free-kick wide on the right that evaded everyone in the box as Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski was too late to react. There was a brief VAR check for a potential handball but the goal stood. Duran then doubled Villa’s advantage nine minutes later when he intelligently moved across his marker and poked home a Morgan Rogers cross. It proved to be the Colombian star’s last involvement as he was brought off in place of Ollie Watkins. As he took his seat on the bench, Duran smacked the chair in front of him out of frustration given how open the game was becoming. The Bologna win preserved Villa’s perfect record in the Champions League having already beaten Young Boys and Bayern Munich. This means Villa end Tuesday night top of the pile in the overall Champions League table having obtained maximum points from their three matches without conceding a goal. The west Midlands outfit have also equalled their longest streak of consecutive wins in Europe’s elite club competition. Villa previously strung three straight wins together from September to October in 1981. Villa are flying high in the Champions League The claret and blue faithful will no doubt view that as a positive omen given they went on to win the European Cup that same season. Villa overcame Bayern Munich 1-0 in the 1982 European Cup final and the triumph remains the club’s greatest achievement. It’s not just the win streak that has placed into rarefied Champions League air, either. The clean sheet against Bologna ensured Villa became just the third side since the Champions League rebrand in 92/93 to have won their opening three games without conceding. Malaga was the first to accomplish the feat in the 12/13 campaign while fellow Premier League side Leicester City did the same in the 16/17 season. It’s been a remarkable two years under Emery, who said after the win over Bologna: “We are going to focus on each match and how we are in the moment. “Of course we won the first match away at Young Boys and then against Bayern Munich we were hoping to win to help get in the top eight. “Today we’ve got another three points, now we must focus on Brugge. Of course if we keep getting points we can change our objective and try to get in the top eight. “There are other contenders, bigger favourites than us but we are improving and we will see how we continue.” Villa will now shift their attention towards a Premier League fixture against Bournemouth at Villa Park on Saturday. The Cherries are riding high after a 2-0 win over a 10-man Arsenal but will face a stauncher test against an in-form Villa.
Aston Villa’s sparkling season has continued as they equalled a long-standing club record with to 2-0 win over Bologna in the Champions League.
Goals from John McGinn and Jhon Duran extended Villa’s unbeaten run across all competitions to ten games, with their last defeat coming against Arsenal in August.
McGinn scored directly from an in-swinging free-kick wide on the right that evaded everyone in the box as Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski was too late to react.
There was a brief VAR check for a potential handball but the goal stood.
Duran then doubled Villa’s advantage nine minutes later when he intelligently moved across his marker and poked home a Morgan Rogers cross.
It proved to be the Colombian star’s last involvement as he was brought off in place of Ollie Watkins.
As he took his seat on the bench, Duran smacked the chair in front of him out of frustration given how open the game was becoming.
The Bologna win preserved Villa’s perfect record in the Champions League having already beaten Young Boys and Bayern Munich.
This means Villa end Tuesday night top of the pile in the overall Champions League table having obtained maximum points from their three matches without conceding a goal.
The west Midlands outfit have also equalled their longest streak of consecutive wins in Europe’s elite club competition.
Villa previously strung three straight wins together from September to October in 1981.
The claret and blue faithful will no doubt view that as a positive omen given they went on to win the European Cup that same season.
Villa overcame Bayern Munich 1-0 in the 1982 European Cup final and the triumph remains the club’s greatest achievement.
It’s not just the win streak that has placed into rarefied Champions League air, either.
The clean sheet against Bologna ensured Villa became just the third side since the Champions League rebrand in 92/93 to have won their opening three games without conceding.
Malaga was the first to accomplish the feat in the 12/13 campaign while fellow Premier League side Leicester City did the same in the 16/17 season.
It’s been a remarkable two years under Emery, who said after the win over Bologna: “We are going to focus on each match and how we are in the moment.
“Of course we won the first match away at Young Boys and then against Bayern Munich we were hoping to win to help get in the top eight.
“Today we’ve got another three points, now we must focus on Brugge. Of course if we keep getting points we can change our objective and try to get in the top eight.
“There are other contenders, bigger favourites than us but we are improving and we will see how we continue.”
Villa will now shift their attention towards a Premier League fixture against Bournemouth at Villa Park on Saturday.
The Cherries are riding high after a 2-0 win over a 10-man Arsenal but will face a stauncher test against an in-form Villa.
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