Right from the first minutes, Bologna actively controlled the ball and created significant pressure. In the 22nd minute, Juan Miranda launched a dangerous volley but could not beat goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
The home team even put the ball into the net in the 28th minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside after VAR intervention. Previously, in the 26th minute, Ezri Konsa clumsily scored an own goal, but this situation was also not counted.
After escaping defeats, Aston Villa gradually regained control of the game. In the 44th minute, from Youri Tielemans' corner kick, Ezri Konsa jumped high to head dangerously, opening the score for the away team before the first half ended.
Stepping into the second half, the English representative continued to take advantage of the opponent's mistake. In the 51st minute, Ollie Watkins stole the ball from Bologna's defense and then finished neatly, doubling the gap. Bologna tried to respond with a series of shots from Federico Bernardeschi and Santiago Castro but could not convert it into a goal.
The home team's efforts were finally rewarded in the 90th minute. Jon Rowe dribbled impressively and then finished accurately, narrowing the score to 1-2.
However, the hope of a comeback for the Portuguese team was quickly extinguished. In the 90+4 minute, Watkins completed a double with a close-range finish after Tielemans' cross, sealing a 3-1 victory for Aston Villa.
This result helps coach Unai Emery and his team take a big advantage before the second leg, considering that they have put one foot in the semi-finals.
Some other notable results:
Porto 1-1 Nottingham Forest
Freiburg 3-0 Celta Vigo
