Aston Villa's Europa League campaign commenced with a narrow 1-0 victory against Bologna, yet the win was overshadowed by Ollie Watkins's penalty miss, prolonging his goal drought. John McGinn's early goal secured the win for Villa.

The pivotal moment occurred in the 68th minute when Watkins, who came on as a substitute, was brought down in the box, earning his team a penalty. Watkins stepped up to take the spot-kick, but his effort was thwarted by Bologna's goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski.

Watkins's penalty miss compounded his recent struggles in front of goal, as his wait for a goal continues. Despite the miss, Aston Villa managed to hold onto their lead and secure their first victory in all competitions this season.

The match wasn't without other chances, with Bologna's Castro hitting the bar. Villa also had opportunities to extend their lead, but Skorupski proved to be a formidable obstacle.

Unai Emery, Aston Villa's manager, made several changes to the starting lineup, with Marco Bizot replacing Emi Martinez in goal and Donyell Malen starting ahead of Watkins. Jadon Sancho and Watkins were introduced as substitutes in the second half.

The victory gives Aston Villa a positive start in their Europa League campaign. However, Watkins's penalty miss and ongoing goal drought will be a concern for Emery as the season progresses.