Europa Conference League – Villa Top Group & Progress To Last 16
In the picturesque surrounds of Bosnia, Villa completed a professional job by securing a point against minnows Zrinjski Mostar.
Unai Emery made a raft of changes, giving much-needed minutes to fringe and players returning from long layoffs. And so it was that Dendoncker, Duran, Moreno, and Ramsey made starts. There was also an unexpected debut for 20-year-old Filip Marschall between the sticks.
Against a serene backdrop, the traveling Villa support that hadn’t mustered tickets in the home stand, were bizarrely confined to a chicken wire cage. You can’t have everything.
After an unbelievable performance to beat Man City and an equally impressive win over Arsenal, we’d be truly spoiled of late.
With the personnel changes, fact Villa had qualified and Zrinjski had nothing riding on the match, perhaps it’s little surprise that the quality was lacking.
In truth, it was a difficult watch, often played at a pedestrian pace. It didn’t help that the pitch was cutting up and noticeably bobbly. First-world problems, indeed.
The first half came and went, but Villa took the initiative on the hour mark. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the impact of substitute John McGinn was swift, with the in-form club captain curling a cross into the area.
Nicolò Zaniolo was well placed in the 6-yard box, controlling well before slotting a finish beyond the helpless keeper. It was a first goal for the loanee Italian international, whose Villa career ap...
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