Conference League: Aston Villa earn first victory with a late goal

• Aston Villa hosted Zrinjski Mostar in a UEFA Europa Conference League clash at Villa Park
• Villa were chasing their first European win since 2010 and a clash at home provided the opportunity
• The visitors defended well but a stoppage-time goal by John McGinn sealed the victory for Villa

Aston Villa narrowly avoided an embarrassing result as they secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Zrinjski Mostar, with John McGinn delivering a last-gasp winner in the Europa Conference League clash.

Villa’s captain came to the rescue in the fourth minute of added time, breaking the hearts of the resilient Mostar side. The match had been a frustrating one for Villa, who dominated proceedings but struggled to break down their organized and determined opponents. The game saw a penalty decision overturned by referee Urs Schnyder in the second half when Ollie Watkins’ header was ruled not to have struck Slobodan Jakovljevic’s hand upon video review.

Nemanja Bilbija had the best opportunity for the visitors in the first half, but the Bosnian champions couldn’t find the back of the net in the Group E encounter. Villa’s Ezri Konsa, who was recently left out of the England squad, admitted to never having heard of the visitors, reflecting the unfamiliarity of Mostar to many.

Aston Villa players John McGinn and Matty Cash celebrate after scoring the winner in a UEFA Europa Conference League against Zrinjski Mostar clash on Thursday, September 5, 2023. | PHOTO: Sky |

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Mostar, managed by Krunoslav Rendulic, viewed the match as the biggest in their history, and they made sure to be a tough challenge for Villa from the outset. Antonio Ivancic threatened early on, attempting to chip the ball over Emi Martinez but lacking support to finish the chance. Martinez was then forced to parry Bilbija’s shot following a low cross from Marijo Cuze.

Meanwhile, Nicolo Zaniolo had a couple of opportunities for Villa, but it was Mostar who had the chance they should have capitalized on. Despite sapping the energy from Villa Park in the opening 20 minutes, the hosts’ frustration was evident when McGinn received a yellow card for a clear dive.

As a team, Villa is still adjusting to European football, and their 3-2 defeat at Legia Warsaw did little to justify their status as favorites in the competition. In the first half at Villa Park, there were even fewer signs of promise.

Mostar had shown resilience by coming back from a 3-0 deficit to beat AZ Alkmaar 4-3 the previous month and appeared comfortable at Villa Park. Zaniolo’s overhead kick provided a save opportunity for goalkeeper Marko Maric, but Villa posed little threat to their opponents.

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Unai Emery decided to make changes, bringing in Watkins, Douglas Luiz, and Matty Cash from the bench, and their presence injected some energy into Villa’s performance. Watkins created an opportunity for Diego Carlos, but the defender’s header was off target. Eight minutes into the second half, Watkins believed he had won a penalty for Villa.

Cash delivered a cross that Watkins headed onto the face of Jakovljevic, leading the referee to award a penalty for handball. However, video review clearly showed that the ball had struck the defender’s face, prompting the referee to correctly overturn the decision.

Villa finally began to assert themselves, with Maric making a save to deny Diego Costa’s header, as the hosts pressed forward relentlessly in Mostar’s half. Youri Tielemans and Zaniolo came close to breaking the deadlock, but it was McGinn who ultimately secured victory for Villa in stoppage time.

Cash managed to break free on the right and delivered a cross that allowed McGinn to nod the ball into the net from six yards, sparing Villa from a potentially embarrassing result.