Youth League: Aston Villa 3-1 Bologna

Aston Villa deservedly secured their first victory of this season’s UEFA Youth League campaign, with a 3-1 triumph over Bologna at Bodymoor Heath on Tuesday afternoon. 

The Young Lions dominated the contest from the off, eventually taking the lead through Mason Cotcher on 33 minutes, following a host of chances, before being pegged back to 1-1 by Cotcher’s opposite number Tommaso Ebone shortly before the break. 

But Villa found another gear in the second period, and had the game wrapped up within 20 minutes of the restart, courtesy of a well-taken brace from Ben Broggio. 

The win leaves Josep Gombau’s side 21st in the league stage of the competiton after three matches, ahead of their next outing away at Club Brugge on Wednesday, November 6. 

Villa started brightly and carved out their first opportunity within the opening two minutes, as Kadan Young surged to the byline and pulled back for Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, but goalkeeper Massimo Pessina was equal to his effort.

Roles were reversed three minutes later as the hosts worked another decent opening. Jimoh-Aloba this time drove into space and teed up Young, but he lashed his shot over the bar.

Gombau’s side were applying plenty of early pressure, and Pessina had to be alert to parry Triston Rowe’s cross, and then deny Broggio, who had turned neatly inside the box and looked destined to score, but for another smart stop.

Villa kept their foot on the gas, as skipper Aidan Borland, Young and Thierry Katsukunya all went close, though Sam Proctor had to be alert at the other end to beat away the lively Tommaso Ravaglioli’s drive.

The hosts’ persistence paid off just after the half-hour mark, when they took a deserved lead courtesy of Mason Cotcher. 

Young found Jimoh-Aloba inside the area, who instinctively flicked the ball into the centre for Cotcher to get the vital touch and turn home.

However, having worked so hard for the lead, Villa’s advantage was short lived, as Bologna dragged themselves level shortly before the break.

Ravaglioli hassled the home defence into surrendering possession on the edge of their area, and squared for captain Ebone who made no mistake in finding the back of the net.

The Villans began the second period with a renewed vigour and optimism, and within seven minutes of the restart, had edged back in front.

Cotcher was again instrumental, wriggling away from the advances of the Bologna defence inside the area, and working enough space to set the ball back for Broggio, whose curling effort took a deflection on its way into the corner.  

Villa were looking to get the game finished, and kept streaming forward. The impressive Travis Patterson flashed a low effort agonisingly wide of the far post, before their third goal arrived just after the hour.

Young’s searching ball in was cleared as far as Broggio on the edge of the area, who took a couple of touches to set himself before steering the ball into the bottom corner to double his tally for the afternoon.

Gombau’s side remained in the hunt for more as the game entered its closing stages, with substitute Bradley Burrowes inches away from connecting with a ball into the centre for a tap-in, before dragging another effort inches wide, but 3-1 it remained, as the Young Lions put their first points on the board in this season’s UEFA Youth League. 

Aston Villa: Proctor; Rowe, Katsukunya, Routh, Patterson; Young (Mulley 83’), Borland ©, Hemmings, Broggio (Khedr 89’); Cotcher (Burrowes 66’), Jimoh-Aloba.

Unused subs: Hammond (GK), Fortes, Simpson, Pavey, Burgess, Bloomfield.

Bologna: Pessina; Markovic, Jaber (Saputo 75’), Papazov (Baroncioni 57’); Puukko, Gattor (Lai 46’), Diop, Oliviero (Negri 57’); Łabędzki (Mezzetti 66’), Ebone ©, Ravaglioli.

Unused subs: Widmer D’Autilia (GK), De Luca, Nesi, Tordiglione.