Aston Villa vs Zrinjski Mostar. UEFA Europa Conference League Group E.
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Match report as Aston Villa secure their first three points of their Europa Conference League campaign but leave it late to defeat stubborn Zrinjski Mostar; John McGinn scores 94th-minute winner at Villa Park
Thursday 5 October 2023 23:13, UK
Aston Villa kick-started their Europa Conference League group-stage adventure after captain John McGinn's 94th-minute header secured a 1-0 win over Zrinjski Mostar.
The defending champions of Bosnia and Herzegovina had frustrated their illustrious Premier League opponents and reduced Unai Emery's side to half-chances before McGinn arrived deep into stoppage time to meet Matty Cash's cross and divert his header beyond Marko Maric.
It looked like Villa's Europa Conference League campaign would continue to stutter until then, after the hosts were left frustrated by their organised and combative opponents, who refused to buckle.
Lee Hendrie told Sky Sports: "This is what it's all about! Super John McGinn! What a header! Captain Marvel, glancing header. Boom! This is what these European nights are all about! I can see the fans and I feel it!"
The result means Villa move level on three points with Zrinjski. Elsewhere in the group, AZ Alkmaar defeated Legia 1-0 in the Netherlands, meaning all four teams are locked on the same number of points - and on the same goal difference.
Despite dominating, Villa struggled to break Mostar down and had a penalty call reversed in the second half.
Referee Urs Schnyder changed his decision to award a spot-kick for handball after replays showed Ollie Watkins' header hit Slobodan Jakovljevic in the face.
Nemanja Bilbija wasted the visitors' best opening in the first half as the Bosnian champions fell just short in the Group E encounter.
Ezri Konsa, unfortunate to be left out of the latest England squad, confessed to having never heard of the visitors. He would not have been the only one.
Boss Krunoslav Rendulic called it the biggest game in their history and the club which gave a 17-year-old Luka Modric his professional debut were a nuisance from the start.
Antonio Ivancic briefly threatened first, lobbing the ball over Emi Martinez only to lack support, before the goalkeeper needed to parry Bilbija's shot after Marijo Cuze's low cross.
In between, Nicolo Zaniolo twice threatened but it was a chance Mostar should have taken. They had, at least, sapped the energy from Villa Park in the opening 20 minutes and the hosts' frustrations were underlined when McGinn was booked for an obvious dive.
As a team Villa are still learning to adapt to European football and the opening 3-2 defeat at Legia Warsaw did little to justify their favourites tag in the competition. In the first half at Villa Park, there were even fewer hints.
Mostar fought back from 3-0 down to beat AZ Alkmaar 4-3 last month and were comfortable, Zaniolo's overhead kick allowing goalkeeper Marko Maric to offer a save for the cameras but there was little else to trouble them.
Emery had seen enough and summoned Watkins, Douglas Luiz and Matty Cash from the bench and their arrival lifted Villa.
Watkins conjured a chance for Diego Carlos, only for the defender to get his header all wrong and the striker thought he had earned a penalty eight minutes into the second half.
Cash's cross was met by Watkins, whose header cannoned into the face of Jakovljevic - with official Schnyder giving a spot-kick for handball.
It was clear, though, the ball hit the defender in the face and once Schnyder had checked his monitor he correctly overturned the decision.
It did finally light a fire under Villa and Maric saved Diego Costa's header as the hosts camped in Mostar's half for the rest of the game.
Youri Tielemans and Zaniolo went close before McGinn rescued the hosts in stoppage time. Cash got free on the right and crossed for the midfielder to nod in from six yards.
Lee Hendrie told Sky Sports News: "What a result! That is massive. If they didn't get anything tonight they would have been sitting bottom of the table when you expected them to go and win it."
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery insists their late win over Zrinjski Mostar proves why their European rivals must be respected.
The Spaniard said: "My message is always you have to respect every team. For them it's very important to play in Europe, against us, to show their power as well. Their commitment in 90 minutes was amazing. It was not easy to break it.
"In the second half we played very well, we had chances and we scored in the end.
"I knew before the match it was going to be difficult because they are going to defend. That happened in the first half. Hopefully we can build a team with everybody."
The Prince of Wales was also in the crowd to see Villa's late show.
Emery added: "It's the third time I've met him, he is welcome for us. He is really feeling emotion with us as well. He met with me, the players and the coaches. We spoke about Aston Villa and his wishes following us this year."
Sky Sports News' Anton Toloui at Villa Park:
"Villa huffed, Villa puffed and they eventually blew the Zrinjski house down.
"The Bosnian defence had been resolute all evening but Traore and Cash linked up intelligently down the right and McGinn arrived late to finish.
"Villa Park was restless, then relentless. 'Super John McGinn' sounded around the famous old ground hosting its first proper European game for more than 14 years."
Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn told TNT Sports:
"Anyone who watched the England vs Scotland game, the chance haunted me in that game where I seemed to lose my neck! Our manager told us to go wide and keep causing them problems with our crosses. They gave everything, they were resolute but we need to be more patient, and the goals will come.
"Tonight was a must-win, there's no doubt about that. We might have had a point which wouldn't have been the end of the world but we really picked up our performance in the second half and it's pure relief to get the goal at the end."
Aston Villa visit Wolves on Sunday in the Premier League at 2pm. They return to Europa Conference League action at AZ Alkmaar on Thursday October 26; kick-off 5.45pm.
