Ian Maatsen and Donyell Malen scored as Aston Villa secured a 2-0 UEFA Europa League victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv at Villa Park, despite pre-match protests and a largely uninspired performance.
Aston Villa secured a workmanlike 2-0 victory against Maccabi Tel Aviv in their latest European fixture, thanks to goals from Ian Maatsen and a Donyell Malen penalty.
Despite a generally dull affair that drew a “collective groan” from the Villa Park faithful when six added minutes were signalled, Unai Emery’s side collected three vital points, lifting them to sixth in the League Phase standings.
Malen doubled the lead from the spot after Ezri Konsa won a questionable penalty following minimal contact.
A late intervention saw Raz Shlomo bravely clear off the line to deny Villa a third, while Youri Tielemans made his anticipated return from injury, showcasing his quality with an outrageous cross-field pass.
Aston Villa Player Ratings
Emiliano Martinez – 7
The World Cup winner was solid with a 7/10, making key stops against Peretz and Madmon to secure the clean sheet. He entertained the fans with a moment of brilliant flair, turning away from two pressing Maccabi attackers, though he was fortunate to escape consequence after misplacing a pass directly to Sagiv Jehezkel early on.
Victor Lindelof – 5
Filling in, Lindelof earned a 5/10. He was switched from right-back to left centre-half during the match and struggled initially, being outmaneuvered by Varela and occasionally losing his position. However, he compensated with several crucial defensive interventions as the opposition pressed late in the second half.
Ezri Konsa – 8*
An 8/10* performance saw Konsa deliver another commanding display. He managed the physical challenge posed by Davida and Peretz with ease throughout the contest. Crucially, he earned the penalty that allowed Malen to extend the lead, even if the resulting foul was seen as slightly fortuitous.
Pau Torres (off 64’) – 6
Torres receives a 6/10. It was a quiet evening for the central defender; he fulfilled his defensive duties adequately but failed to inject meaningful forward momentum with his attempted passes. He was wisely withdrawn after 64 minutes, likely as a precautionary measure with the next league match in mind.
Ian Maatsen – 8
Rated 8/10, Maatsen emerged as a key attacking threat. After a quiet start, he broke the deadlock with a superb, clinically taken strike from a difficult angle. His goal revitalised his performance, and he consistently offered valuable width and thrust down the left flank thereafter.
Lamare Bogarde – 7
Bogarde is given a 7/10. He overcame a nervous first half to deliver a much stronger second period. His impressive recovery work, highlighted by a fantastic sliding tackle on Varela, showed his improved confidence, suggesting he is better suited to the right-back role than the defensive midfield position.
Amadou Onana (off 75’) – 7
The physically dominant Onana secures a 7/10. He effectively marshaled the midfield, ensuring that Maccabi’s early attempts to overrun the centre of the pitch were quickly quelled. His performance was defined by hard-fought duels and essential positional ‘dirty work’.
Morgan Rogers (off 64’) – 7
Rogers earns a 7/10. Operating in the attacking midfield zone, he used his directness and power to fashion shooting chances before half-time. Crucially, he provided the neat, incisive through ball that set up Maatsen for the opening goal.
Evann Guessand (off 74’) – 5
A disappointing night earns Guessand a 5/10. The forward struggled to impose himself on the match, remaining largely peripheral. While he fulfilled his tracking obligations and drew a couple of fouls, his overall attacking contribution was distinctly lacklustre.
Jadon Sancho (off 75’) – 6
On loan from Manchester United, Sancho managed a 6/10. He endured a difficult opening half-hour but showed flashes of involvement in the build-up to the opening goal by combining with Rogers. Manager Emery will undoubtedly be looking for a more sustained impact from the winger.
Donyell Malen – 8
Malen receives an 8/10. The striker was clinical from the penalty spot to notch his third goal of the season. He executed several smart, penetrative runs into wide areas, though he was denied a brace after seeing two subsequent efforts saved—chances he probably should have converted, but were not glaring misses.