Aston Villa secured their first victory of the season with a hard-fought 1-0 win against Bologna in their Europa League opener at Villa Park. Captain John McGinn's precise first-half strike proved to be the difference in a match where Villa could have extended their lead but ultimately held on for a crucial three points.

The victory provided a welcome boost for Unai Emery's side, who had endured a frustrating start to the Premier League season with three draws and two losses. Villa had struggled to find the net, scoring only twice in their opening six games, both of which were away from home. The win also gave the Villa supporters something to cheer about following the departure of the club's president of football operations, Monchi.

Emery made four changes to the team that drew 1-1 against Sunderland, bringing in Bizot, Ian Maatsen, Pau Torres, and Donyell Malen. Aston Villa fans almost had a reason to celebrate early in the game when Evann Guessand maneuvered into the area, but his shot was directed straight at Bologna's goalkeeper, Łukasz Skorupski.

McGinn broke the deadlock in the 13th minute, finally registering a home goal for Aston Villa. A corner from Emi Buendia intended for Morgan Rogers was cleared by Bologna, but the ball fell to McGinn, who took a touch and fired a low shot into the bottom corner from outside the area. The goal injected confidence into Villa's play, which had been lacking in the early stages of the season.

Villa had a chance to double their lead when Ollie Watkins, who came on as a substitute, won a penalty in the second half. However, Watkins's spot-kick was saved by Skorupski, prolonging his wait for his first goal of the campaign. Santiago Castro also came close to scoring, but his header struck the crossbar.

Bologna threatened sporadically, with Marco Bizot, making his debut for Villa, forced to make a save from Federico Bernardeschi. In the closing stages, Jens Odgaard's header was blocked by Bizot, ensuring Villa maintained their clean sheet and secured the victory.

The match was a rematch of their encounter last season in the Champions League, where Villa won 2-0, with McGinn also scoring in that game. This win marks a positive step for Aston Villa as they look to build momentum in the Europa League and improve their Premier League form.

Prior to the match, Aston Villa had a busy pre-season schedule, including a tour in the United States. They played against St. Louis City SC, Nashville SC, and Eintracht Frankfurt in the US. They also had a match against Hansa Rostock in Germany.