Soccer Football - Champions League - Aston Villa v Bologna - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - October 22, 2024 Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers in action with Bologna's Dan Ndoye Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) -Aston Villa overcame Bologna 2-0 thanks to second-half goals from John McGinn and Jhon Duran on Tuesday as the home side extended a perfect start to their first Champions League campaign in 41 years to three victories.
Villa's win put them provisionally top of the table in Europe's elite club competition with nine points and are yet to concede. Bologna have one point after a draw and two losses.
"What we are building here is amazing," McGinn said. "Three games in, three wins and most important for us is no goals conceded. We don't want to stop here. It puts us in a great position. Some players came back and now we look really strong."
Unai Emery's side had a flurry of chances before McGinn scored in the 55th minute, sending a free kick sailing over a sea of heads into the far corner. After a VAR check for a possible handball, the goal from Villa's captain stood.
Duran, whose late-game heroics led them past Bayern Munich three weeks ago, doubled the lead in the 64th when Morgan Rogers lifted a cross towards the box and the lunging striker held off defender Jhon Lucumi to flick the ball into the bottom corner.
Ollie Watkins replaced Duran immediately after the goal, and the Colombian looked livid when he stomped to the bench.
"(Duran) scored the goal and it was fantastic and he was wanting more because he was thinking he could score more goals," Emery said. "He did very good work and the last minutes is for Watkins and keep going."
Bologna, with one win so far this season in all competitions - a Serie A victory at Monza last month - threatened only for brief moments in the first half.
They had an early chance through Thijs Dallinga, who latched onto a through ball from Dan Ndoye, but Villa keeper Emi Martinez dived to push his attempt away from danger.
Villa, who are fourth in the Premier League, mostly dominated the rest of the game, narrowly missing several first-half chances.
McGinn almost scored with a long-range effort but Bologna keeper Lukasz Skorupski kept it out, while Morgan Rogers' shot from distance just before the break sailed wide.
Jacob Ramsey almost scored a third goal for Villa at the death, but was denied in a one-on-one.
"We are playing seriously, we are playing focused, responsible and the team is progressing and mature in everything," Emery said.
Villa next visit Club Brugge in the new 36-team league phase, with the top eight automatically making the last 16.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)
