Aston Villa Gains Upper Hand in Europa League Quarter-Finals Against Bologna

Aston Villa secured a crucial 3-1 win over Bologna in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie, thanks to goals from Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins. The Premier League side struggled initially, with Bologna dominating the first half and having a goal ruled out for offside. However, Villa capitalized on poor defending to take the lead, with Konsa heading home from a corner and Watkins scoring his third goal in five games. Bologna pulled one back through Jonathan Rowe, but Watkins sealed the win with a late goal. Villa manager Unai Emery praised his team's resilience, while striker Ollie Watkins acknowledged that the team got lucky in the first half. The second leg is set to be an exciting encounter, with Bologna looking to overturn the deficit.