{"id":296918,"date":"2023-12-15T20:42:30","date_gmt":"2023-12-15T20:42:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/?p=296918"},"modified":"2023-12-15T20:42:30","modified_gmt":"2023-12-15T20:42:30","slug":"zrinjski-mostar-1-1-aston-villa-nicolo-zaniolo-scores-his-first-goal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/soccer\/zrinjski-mostar-1-1-aston-villa-nicolo-zaniolo-scores-his-first-goal\/","title":{"rendered":"Zrinjski Mostar 1-1 Aston Villa: Nicolo Zaniolo scores his first goal"},"content":{"rendered":"
Aston Villa produced a lacklustre display against Zrinjski Mostar that raised more questions about the depth of Unai Emery\u2019s squad for the rest of the season.<\/p>\n
Although Unai Emery\u2019s men secured the point they needed to win their group and avoid the play-off round of the Europa Conference League in February, the manager will have been far from happy with the performance having made eight changes to his starting XI. However, they are safely through to the last 16.<\/p>\n
Nicolo Zaniolo put the visitors in front with his first goal for Villa just after the hour mark.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Zrinjski wasted four good chances to equalise before Matija Malekinusic drew them level three minutes from full-time with a spectacular strike.<\/p>\n
Only Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres and Douglas Luiz retained their places in the line-up following last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Arsenal, which left Villa only two points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Former Roma player Nicolo Zaniolo has scored his first ever goal for Aston Villa since his move<\/p>\n
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On an uneven pitch, Villa struggled to make any real significant impression in the first half<\/p>\n
Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n
A<\/span>ston Villa (4-4-2): <\/span>Marschall 6; Cash 6.5 (Chambers 69, 6), Konsa 7, Torres 7 (D Carlos 69, 6), Moreno 6 (Digne 58, 6); Zaniolo 6.5, Dendoncker 6, D Luiz 6, Ramsey 6 (McGinn 58, 6.5); Diaby 5.5 (O\u2019Reilly 79, 6), Duran 6<\/span><\/p>\n Scorers<\/span>: Zaniolo 61<\/p>\n Booked<\/span>: McGinn<\/p>\n Manager<\/span>: Unai Emery 6<\/p>\n Emery is certain to restore his key men for Sunday\u2019s trip to\u00a0Brentford. On an uneven pitch, Villa struggled to make a significant impression in the first half.\u00a0<\/p>\n As they did in the first game in\u00a0Birmingham in October, Zrinjski sat deep and Villa laboured in their attempts to find an opening.<\/p>\n The breakthrough arrived in the 61st minute when skipper John McGinn, on as a substitute, crossed from the left and Zaniolo controlled it deftly before guiding home from close range.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Italian has not found top form since joining on loan from Galatasaray last summer and Villa will hope this will help him settle.<\/p>\n That should have allowed Villa to cruise home but they lost concentration. Rookie goalkeeper Filip Marschall presented Aldin Hrvanovic with an easy chance that the substitute wasted, and he was then denied by smart work from Marschall.\u00a0<\/p>\n Earlier, Josip Corluka had also squandered two opportunities, but the home side celebrated extravagantly with three minutes left when Malekinusic drifted inside on his right foot and beat Marschall from 20 yards.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The result raised questions about the depth of Unai Emery \u2019s squad for the rest of the season<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Emery will have been far from happy with the performance having made eight changes<\/p>\n