Aston Villa secured a 3-0 win over Hibernian in the second leg of our Europa Conference League play-off round tie to advance to the group stage of the competition on Thursday night.
Goals from Jhon Duran, Leon Bailey and Matty Cash ensured we finished off the job at Villa Park, completing an 8-0 aggregate win as we produced a professional performance.
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The visitors had their moments, but the gulf in quality was clear as we made it four consecutive wins across all competitions and can now look forward to the draw on Friday to discover who we’ll face in our group.
Qualifying for Europe was a fundamental objective this season, and Unai Emery will undoubtedly be delighted with his side’s displays over the two legs to ensure that we advanced in comprehensive fashion.
Aston Villa player ratings vs Hibernian:
Robin Olsen, 7 – Had a couple of shaky moments that drew an anxious reaction from the home crowd as he spilled a cross and almost lost possession of the ball on his goal-line, but produced a number of key saves as he played an important role in helping us keep a clean sheet.
Ezri Konsa, 7 – A positive 45-minute outing as he showed his quality defensively with some timely interventions, while also helping us dictate possession and build out from the back.
Calum Chambers, 6.5 – Produced some solid defensive moments and given it was a rare start, did well in the circumstances. Did get caught on several occasions down that side though as we left him vulnerable in one-v-one situations.
Pau Torres, 8 – Continued to orchestrate from the back with his patient, measured and accurate distribution, while he was alert defensively throughout. Produced a brilliant pass to set Duran through for his goal.
Sebastian Revan, 7 – Displayed great energy to get up and down the left flank as he played in an advanced role and provided width for us to stretch the pitch and create spaces inside. Positive from the youngster.
Leon Bailey, 7.5 – Showed quality with his finish to double our lead, and looked a threat on several occasions with his direct running and pace. Just needs to find a little more consistency to be a reliable threat down that flank, week in and week out.
Boubacar Kamara, 7.5 – Another key player who was given 45 minutes, and he showed he was a level above with his positioning and awareness to break up play and win back possession before showing quality on the ball too.
Douglas Luiz, 8 – Similar to Kamara in that he just looked a different class with his composure and quality in possession. Was a key figure in helping us dictate tempo and ultimately control the game for large periods.
Youri Tielemans, 6.5 – Didn’t look particularly comfortable on the left side in the first half, and he often got outmuscled and dispossessed. Did show positive glimpses and improved as the game went on, particularly after shifting into a more central role, but good to see him get a run-out as he tries to break into the starting XI more often.
Omari Kellyman, 8 – A really promising performance as he looked settled in the system and style of play to find pockets of space between the lines in the final third to cause problems. A mature display as he showed intelligence coupled with a great work ethic, and Emery will no doubt be pleased with what he saw.
Jhon Duran, 8 – Good movement and finish for his goal, and showed better physicality and an improved touch to lead the line well and link things up. Made a positive impression and showed he can step in and deliver when Ollie Watkins is rested.
Substitutes:
John McGinn, 6.5 – Unlucky not to score as he had a big chance to add to the scoreline, but came on and showed good intent as he looked a threat in building our attacks.
Matty Cash, 7 – Another well-taken goal as he pounced on the goalkeeper’s error to make it three goals in two games. Looked a bit shaky defensively after he came on, but settled and helped us secure the win.
Ollie Watkins, 6.5 – Almost bagged himself a goal but his effort was eventually cleared off the line. Good shift as he got some minutes to stay sharp.
Diego Carlos, 6.5 – Positive little run-out to keep his momentum going and improve his match fitness and sharpness as he added a steeliness to our backline in the latter stages.
Leander Dendoncker, 6 – Boost to have him back on the pitch and getting valuable minutes after his extended absence. Will play a key role with his physical presence and quality in midfield.