A brace from Donyell Malen guided the home side toward automatic advancement for the last 16 of the Europa League in a match overshadowed of fan disturbances from Young Boys supporters.
Dutch forward is exemplifying Villa’s greater squad depth, but this 10th win in twelve matches was marred by visiting fans ripping up stadium seating, hurling objects at security and home team athletes, and fighting with officers.
Beginning of the current season, no team has secured more European games at their own stadium (13 from 15) than Unai Emery’s side. The Villa manager looks a good bet to claim the trophy for a fifth time.
Game Summary and Incident Details
Young Boys supporters had contributed to the initially positive mood before the opening strike. Their coordinated clapping, drumming, pogoing and chanting had helped give the early kick-off a feeling of a continental occasion, although the events after each of the first-half goals was unacceptable by all measures.
Under circumstances similar to other disturbances involving their supporters in the recent past, the visiting hardcore fans responded to Malen’s headed goal in the 27th minute by launching containers at the celebrating home team, with the goalscorer suffering a facial injury.
The Swiss club had been penalized a substantial sum by European football's governing body and ordered to cover damages for destroying seats and toilet blocks in their European top-tier match just over two years ago. They were also fined about €18,000 last season for the use of pyrotechnics in their volatile European fixture.
Worsening of Trouble
But the trouble escalated following the second goal moments prior to the break. As the Dutch forward smiled on doing a knee-slide in the vicinity of the travelling fans, the fans reacted by ripping out chairs to throw in addition to more plastic cups and fluids at the growing numbers of police and stewards.
Fighting broke out with police even as the visiting captain, the Young Boys captain, approached to plead for peace from his club's fans. At least two trouble-makers were removed by police. Play experienced a five-minute holdup until the match resumed and the half be completed.
Young Boys fans confront authorities during a eventful first half.
On-Field Display
Nonetheless, it was been a very satisfactory period on the field for Villa as they pursued a seventh straight home win. The forward, who had a prompt influence when coming on during the break last weekend, was selected to play at centre-forward, among multiple rotations to the team sheet.
He capitalized fully of his opportunity, sharp and speedy for all of his hour on the pitch. Marvin Keller had had to tip over his superb 25-yard shot in the fourth minute, and two other players nearly scored before Malen headed in the delivery from midfield. Villa were so dominant that eight players were part of the move.
The play for the second goal was somewhat more direct but no less pleasing to watch. A teammate played a superb assist for the striker to take in his stride down the inside-left channel after which he turned past a defender and smashed in his sixth strike of the season.
Aftermath and Conclusion
Maybe the scorer should not have celebrated in the visiting supporters’ direction, but the supporter misconduct was as unforgivable as it was extreme.
A quieter atmosphere in the subsequent period as the away supporters, almost to a man dressed in black, ceased their chants. A visiting attacker had a attempt stopped, and a Villa player was correctly given offside before providing an assist for a tap-in.
But as the hosts made substitutions on the hour mark, offering key individuals extra time ahead of the derby with Wolves, the visiting fans sprang back into voice. A taunting chant was the home crowd's retort.
As the visitors eventually put the ball in the goal, a forward sidefooting in a delivery, there was a protracted video review before the goal was disallowed for an offside in the buildup. The linesman on the near touchline had shuffled up his line up the field and distanced from the away fans when the decision was given.
In stoppage time, though, Joël Monteiro scored a late reply, following a cross-field ball, and on this occasion video review upheld Young Boys their brief jubilation.
Following the political backdrop to the last Europa League game at this venue, the team will head to Basel in December anticipating a peaceful visit and the victory that should safeguard their passage into the last 16 of the competition.
