{"id":290216,"date":"2023-10-05T22:25:42","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T22:25:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/?p=290216"},"modified":"2023-10-05T22:25:42","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T22:25:42","slug":"aston-villa-0-0-zrinjski-mostar-unai-emerys-side-in-goalless-draw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/soccer\/aston-villa-0-0-zrinjski-mostar-unai-emerys-side-in-goalless-draw\/","title":{"rendered":"Aston Villa 0-0 Zrinjski Mostar: Unai Emery's side in goalless draw"},"content":{"rendered":"
Prince William addressed the Aston Villa players in the dressing room after their last gasp victory over Zrinjski Mostar.<\/p>\n
The Prince of Wales is a huge Villa supporter and was at Villa Park to celebrate after John McGinn\u2019s stoppage-time header got Villa\u2019s Europa Conference League campaign off and running.<\/p>\n
\u2018It is the third time I have met him,\u2019 said Emery. \u2018He is welcome as he is supporting us, feeling emotional with us.<\/p>\n
\u2018He met the players and me and we were speaking about Aston Villa and his wishes for us to do something this year.\u2019<\/p>\n
McGinn had dug Emery out of a hole with his late strike as Villa had appeared to be heading for a result that would have given them one point from their opening two games.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
John McGinn’s towering header nicked a vital win for Aston Villa’s European campaign\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The skipper showed up just when Villa needed him most and saved Unai Emery’s blushes<\/p>\n
Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n
Emery arrived at Villa a year ago as a four-time Europa League winner and his side were installed as favourites for the Conference League this season. Yet until McGinn\u2019s late intervention they were heading for a poor result.<\/p>\n
Yet Emery will feel his decision to make six changes, not using his best players until after the break, was justified. When Ollie Watkins, Matty Cash and Douglas Luiz came on, the home side were much improved and had 27 attempts across the game.<\/p>\n
Without injured trio Moussa Diaby, Boubacar Kamara and Jacob Ramsey, Villa were horribly flat in the first half, as Zrinjski were well-organised in their 5-4-1 shape and had little difficulty keeping the home side out.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the Bosnian club had the best chance of the first half. Marijo Cuze sent Mario Ticinovic racing clear down the right and when the left-back produced a cross for Nemanja Bilbija, Emi Martinez made a super stop from point-blank range.<\/p>\n
Apart from a couple of volleys from Nicolo Zaniolo and Lucas Digne, and an overhead-kick from Zaniolo, Villa did not threaten. It was no surprise to see Emery turn to his main men for the second half.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Aston Villa struggled to find the breakthrough despite dominating the entire game<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Zrinjski Mostar’s fans were in excellent voice as they watched their side grab a point<\/p>\n
Villa picked up the pace. McGinn and Diego Carlos had early chances, Watkins saw a penalty given then overturned when the ball was deemed to have hit Slobodan Jakovljevic in the face before striking his hand, and Carlos had a header kept out by the impressive Marko Maric.<\/p>\n
Tempers frayed when Cash squared up to Bilbija and hit the deck holding his face, leading to several players jostling and yellow cards for Bilbija and Cash. Then Ezri Konsa and Youri Tielemans went close from distance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zaniolo hammered one into the Holte End and Emery turned away in disgust, either side of two penalty appeals by Cash that were dismissed. But Cash put in one final cross and McGinn guided it home expertly to win it.<\/p>\n
Aston Villa (4-4-2):\u00a0<\/span>Martinez 7; Konsa 6, Diego Carlos 6 (Traore 82), Lenglet 5.5, Digne 6); Bailey 6.5, Dendoncker 5 (Luiz 46, 6.5), Tielemans 5.5, McGinn 6.5; Zaniolo 6, Duran 5 (Watkins 46, 6.5)<\/p>\n Subs not used:<\/span>\u00a0Olsen, Marschall, Torres, Chambers, O\u2019Reilly.<\/p>\n Goals:<\/span> John McGinn\u00a0<\/p>\n Booked:<\/span>\u00a0McGinn, Cash<\/p>\n Manager<\/span>: Unai Emery 5.5<\/p>\n Zrinjski Mostar (4-2-3-1) :<\/span>\u00a0Maric 8; Corluka 6, Jakovljevic 7.5, Senic 7.5, Radic 7.5, Ticinovic 7.5 (Memija 73, 6); Hrvanovic 6.5 (Malekinusic 46, 6), Ivancic 7 (Kozulj 62, 6), Canadija 7 (Zlomisic 73, 6), Cuze 7; Bilbija 6.5 (Kis 77, 6)<\/p>\n Subs not used<\/span><\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0Sefo, Nir On, Marin, Sabljic, Balic, Misic, Prskalo.<\/p>\n Booked<\/span><\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0Hrvanovic,\u00a0Bilbija<\/p>\n Manager:<\/span>\u00a0Krunoslav Renduli\u0107 8<\/p>\n Referee:<\/span>\u00a0Urs Schnyder 5\u00a0<\/p>\n Attendance:<\/span> 37,327\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\nIT’S ALL KICKING OFF!\u00a0<\/h3>\n