Aston Villa keep up perfect start after McGinn and Durán polish off Bologna
In the seconds after John McGinn gave Aston Villa the lead, the scoreboards in opposite corners malfunctioned, flickering and displaying a 3-0 scoreline over Bologna courtesy of a hat-trick in double-quick time from their captain. For a moment it was pure fantasy but Unai Emery’s side really are top of the reformed Champions League, the only team with a 100% record so far having played three matches. McGinn inadvertently scored the first directly from a free-kick before Jhon Durán, handed a rare start, added a second with his seventh goal of the season. Everybody of a Villa persuasion was on cloud nine, then?
Not quite. Durán’s fine, hooked finish proved his final touch of the game and after being replaced by Ollie Watkins he thudded a padded seat in the home dugout and then booted the back of another chair. Amadou Onana, who was withdrawn at half-time, attempted to soothe Duran’s anger, as did a member of Emery’s staff. A few minutes later the striker headed down the tunnel. It was the only obviously sour note for Villa on a night when Boubacar Kamara returned to action for the first time since sustaining a serious knee injury in February. Sam Beukema rattled the woodwork late on for Bologna but Villa’s victory was never in doubt after McGinn opened the scoring.
