Bologna fall short despite a strong performance, as Aston Villa capitalize on mistakes in the first leg of the quarterfinal.
Bologna suffered a 3-1 defeat against Aston Villa in the first leg of their Europa League quarterfinal, with individual errors proving decisive in an otherwise competitive performance.
The Rossoblù started brightly, controlling possession and creating several early chances. Santiago Castro had a goal ruled out for a marginal offside, while Lewis Ferguson struck the crossbar after a well-worked move, highlighting Bologna’s early dominance.
Despite their positive start, Bologna fell behind just before halftime. A corner kick caused confusion in the box, and goalkeeper Ravaglia misjudged his exit, allowing Ezri Konsa to head into an empty net for the opening goal.
The second half began with another costly mistake. A misplaced pass from Heggem gifted Ollie Watkins a clear opportunity, and the Aston Villa striker made no mistake in doubling the lead.
Bologna continued to push and came close through Federico Bernardeschi, whose effort hit the outside of the post, before Emiliano Martínez produced a fine save to deny Rowe.
The winger eventually found the net in the 90th minute, curling in a precise finish to give Bologna hope at 2-1. However, that hope was short-lived, as Watkins struck again in stoppage time, left unmarked in the box to seal a 3-1 victory for the English side.
The result leaves Bologna with a difficult task ahead in the second leg, needing a strong response to keep their European hopes alive.
Match Report
Bologna 1-3 Aston Villa
Scorers: 44’ Konsa (A), 51’ Watkins (A), 90’ Rowe (B), 90+4’ Watkins (A)
Bologna (4-3-3): Ravaglia; Joao Mario, Heggem, Lucumì, Miranda; Ferguson (67’ Orsolini), Freuler (90’ Cambiaghi), Pobega (67’ Moro); Bernardeschi, Castro (83’ Odgaard), Rowe. Head coach: Italiano.
Aston Villa (4-4-2): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau Torres, Digne; McGinn, Onana (80’ Bogarde), Tielemans, Buendia (88’ Bailey); Rogers (88’ Maatsen), Watkins. Head coach: Emery.
Referee: Schärer
Bookings: Lucumì, Pobega, Rogers
Red cards: None
