Browsing: McGinn

Emi Buendía and John McGinn struck second-half goals as Aston Villa beat Feyenoord 2-0 in Rotterdam to make it back-to-back Europa League wins.

Villa, who beat Bologna 1-0 in their opening game last week, held their nerve at De Kuip after coming under heavy first-half pressure, with Buendía and then McGinn scoring for Unai Emeryâ€s side.

Back at the venue where they sealed the clubâ€s greatest triumph by beating Bayern Munich to lift the European Cup in 1982, Villa notched their third win in a week to put their dismal start to the season behind them.

Villa were forced into a late change before kick-off, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez withdrawn through a calf injury and replaced by the summer signing Marco Bizot.

Feyenoord, who beat both Bayern and Inter Milan in the Champions League at the intimidating De Kuip last season, created a string of first-half chances.

Bizot denied Anis Hadj-Moussa and Ayase Ueda, who also headed narrowly wide, before Leo Sauerâ€s shot from outside the box then tested the Villa keeper.

The visitors breathed a sigh of relief in the 35th minute – and the Feyenoord head coach Robin van Persie was left furious – when Ueda headed the home side into the lead from a corner, but the goal was dubiously ruled out for an apparent foul on Matty Cash.

Emeryâ€s side weathered the storm and Buendía struck the opening goal in the 61st minute, curling home into the bottom corner after being teed up by Boubacar Kamara on the edge of the area.

Villa dictated the tempo thereafter and put the game to bed when McGinn steered home his third goal in as many matches, picking his spot when the ball broke to him in the area following substitute Donyell Malenâ€s storming run.

Bizot was on hand again with crucial saves to deny Ueda and Cyle Larin in the closing stages, preventing the Dutch from mounting a grandstand finish.

Rangers showed fighting spirit against Sturm Graz, but first-half defensive lapses resulted in a second Europa League defeat in eight days to keep under-fire manager Russell Martin on the back foot.

The Light Blues lost 1-0 to the Belgian side Genk in their opening league phase game at Ibrox last Thursday night and went down 2-1 at the Merkur Arena.

The Slovenia striker Tomi Horvat scored after just seven minutes and, after the Rangers forward Youssef Chermiti hit the woodwork, the Georgia midfielder Otar Kiteishvili drove in a second in the 35th minute.

However, winger Djeidi Gassama made it 2-1 four minutes after the break with a terrific strike and offered hope for Rangers, but the comeback could not be completed and, after just five wins in 16 games, the pressure remains firmly on Martin.

Kelechi Iheanacho had a goal controversially disallowed in Celticâ€s defeat by Braga. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

Kelechi Iheanacho was on the wrong end of a hugely controversial handball decision before Braga wrapped up a 2-0 Europa League win at Celtic.

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Iheanacho appeared to have brought the hosts level in the 51st minute after Kasper Schmeichel made a mess of dealing with Ricardo Hortaâ€s long-range strike in the first half. But the German referee, Tobias Stieler, disallowed the goal and the video assistant Christian Dingert stuck with the decision, despite no handball being evident on television replays.

Iheanacho capitalised on a loose pass from a free-kick to charge down a scrambled clearance from the former Celtic defender Gustaf Lagerbielke before slotting home. The ball appeared to hit the strikerâ€s face but Dingert stuck with the decision after more than two minutes of studying the footage.

Kieran Tierney and Sebastian Tounekti were denied by good goalkeeping as Celtic chased an equaliser in an open second half. Brendan Rodgersâ€s side were left with one point from their opening two matches after Gabri Martínez netted on the rebound five minutes from time.

There were clear signs Schmeichel was having an off night as the goalkeeper conceded possession several times before being beaten from 35 yards in the 20th minute.

Horta was not closed down quickly enough by Paulo Bernardo and his shot swerved and dipped. But it was not particularly powerful or in the corner and Schmeichel appeared to be caught off guard before clawing the ball into the roof of the net.

Celtic were soon back under pressure and Martínez netted from close range after Schmeichel and Scales had blocked efforts.

The Lille goalkeeper, Berke Özer, saved three penalties, included two retaken, in the win against Roma. Photograph: Andrew Medichini/AP

The Lille keeper Berke Özer saved three consecutive penalties late on as they battled to a 1-0 victory at Roma in the Europa League thanks to Hákon Arnar Haraldssonâ€s early strike.

In the first competitive meeting between the sides, Arnar Haraldsson capitalised on an early Roma error to fire the visitors ahead after six minutes. Roma were handed a golden chance to equalise in the last few minutes after a handball from Aïssa Mandi, but Artem Dovbykâ€s penalty was saved by Özer.

Drama followed as the Lille keeper was adjudged to have moved off his line, only for Dovbykâ€s second attempt to be stopped as well, but with Özer again stepping forward too early. A third effort was then entrusted to Matías Soulé, yet incredibly, Özer denied him as well and this time the save stood, sealing Lilleâ€s win.

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