Soccer
Classy Aston Villa cruise to Europa League glory in Istanbul
Aston Villa ended their 30-year wait for a trophy as they strolled to an emphatic 3-0 victory over Freiburg in the Europa League final in Istanbul.
After falling short in the Conference League semi-finals and Champions League last-eight over recent times, Unai Emery brought European success back to Villa Park at the third time of asking with his fifth Europa League title.
The Prince of Wales was in attendance to witness Villa’s first European final since he was born, and watched his beloved side win their first silverware since the League Cup in 1996 and a first continental trophy since the European Cup in 1982.
Villa’s quality shone through with a pair of unstoppable strikes at the end of the first half from Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia.
Villa started to flex their muscles and Morgan Rogers added a third which sparked jubilant scenes on the final whistle.
They made their intentions known from the outset and it took just two minutes for them to make their mark when Rogers unleashed an effort which forced a first save from Noah Atubolu.
Freiburg have been deadly from set-pieces this season and almost made Villa pay from another when a ball into the box bounced favourably for Nicolas Hofler but he dragged an effort wide.
And Emiliano Martinez, who seemed fine after a slight injury scare in the warm-up, was required to stop exciting talent Johan Manzambi from range.
All the focus was on Freiburg’s danger from dead balls, but the Premier League side are capable themselves, and they broke the deadlock four minutes before the break courtesy of a well-worked set-piece.
The first corner of the game fell to Villa who played short to Rogers and he crossed onto the onrushing Tielemans who arrived into the area and fired a spectacular volley past Atubolu.
And Villa doubled their advantage seconds before the interval when Buendia had the space of Besiktas Park to tee up and bend a beautiful strike into the top-left corner from the edge of the box.
Villa’s confidence was up and Buendia tried a cheeky chip moments after the restart which Atubolu was alert to.
Villa did not rest on their laurels and had a third in the 58th minute, this time Buendia turned creator who sent in a cross which deflected nicely into the path of Rogers who slid home from two yards out.
John McGinn was then denied by Atubolu after Amadou Onana hit the post which mattered little as Villa won a first European trophy since winning the European Cup 44 years ago.
