In a vibrant atmosphere at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Aston Villa did not play well and were largely outplayed for most of the match, but maintained composure. The English side overcame significant pressure from the Italian fans to leave with a two-goal advantage.

Center-back Ezri Konsa opened the scoring after a mistake by goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia, before Watkins' second-half brace decided the match and overshadowed a late goal by English player Jonathan Rowe for the home team.

Watkins (left) celebrates a goal with teammates in the Europa League quarterfinal first leg at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Bologna, Italy on 9/4. Photo: Reuters

"We did not control the game in the first half as planned", Aston Villa coach Unai Emery admitted after the match. "We did not create clear chances, but we focused heavily on set pieces for this game and gained an advantage there".

Bologna dominated possession early on, with their two wingers being the most dangerous players on the field. Federico Bernardeschi's cross from the right flank almost led to a spectacular finish by Juan Miranda in the 21st minute, but his scissor kick was blocked.

However, the left flank was where Bologna consistently made a difference, as Rowe won his duels against Matty Cash. In the 26th minute, a superb chest control from a long pass allowed Rowe to break free and assist Santiago Castro, whose shot deflected off Konsa and crossed the goal line despite Cash's late attempt to clear. The stadium erupted, but the joy quickly faded as VAR intervened, disallowing the goal due to Castro being offside by the tip of his boot.

As the first half concluded, the home side's excitement waned, and frustration grew as Villa took an "undeserved" lead. Watkins' efforts earned corners. Although unchallenged, goalkeeper Ravaglia rushed out and fumbled a cross from Youri Tielemans, allowing Konsa to stoop and head the ball into the net.

Things worsened for the home team immediately after halftime. While in possession on the edge of the penalty area, Miranda attempted to switch the attack, but his pass was too strong for Torbjorn Heggem to control, and Emiliano Buendia stole the ball. The Argentine player assisted Watkins, who was unmarked in the box. The Aston Villa forward calmly slotted the ball between Ravaglia's legs when facing him, seizing the opportunity.

Watkins (in black) scores in the Europa League quarterfinal first leg at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Bologna, Italy on 9/4. Photo: Reuters

Winger Rowe, who joined Bologna earlier this season for over 20 million Euro, played exceptionally well against his compatriots. In addition to his disallowed goal, he created two more significant opportunities. One was a trivela cross for Lewis Ferguson, whose shot hit the crossbar, and the other was a pass to Bernardeschi, who shot wide of the goal.

Ultimately, Rowe had to "do it all himself", scoring a deserved goal in the 90th minute by cutting in from the left wing and curling a right-footed shot past Emi Martinez into the far corner.

The crowd roared again, and fighting spirit surged, but the home side conceded another goal in the few remaining minutes. Tielemans delivered another corner kick; no Bologna defender reached the ball, and it fell directly to Watkins. He took one touch before finishing cleanly, celebrating enthusiastically towards the away fans.

The 3-1 victory gives Aston Villa a significant advantage. In the other matches, Freiburg also put one foot in the semifinals with a 3-0 win against Celta Vigo, while Porto drew Nottingham Forest 1-1, and Braga and Betis also held each other to the same scoreline.

Vy Anh