Aston Villa secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Young Boys in the Europa League, with Donyell Malen scoring twice to ensure Unai Emery’s side claimed three crucial points. 

The match, however, was far from straightforward and featured tense moments both on and off the pitch.

Villa began strongly, with Malen striking twice in the first half to give the hosts early control. His first goal of the game came in 24th minute before doubling the advantage before the break.

His sharp finishing put Young Boys under pressure, but the game was briefly overshadowed when the Dutch forward was hit on the head by objects thrown from the away section, leading to a temporary halt in play. Order was eventually restored, allowing the match to continue.

Despite Villa’s early dominance, Young Boys grew into the contest and applied pressure throughout the second half.

Their improvement was noticeable after several substitutions, with the visitors pushing hard for an equaliser as the clock ticked down. 

Villa, meanwhile, struggled to convert chances that could have put the game beyond reach.

One of those opportunities fell to Ollie Watkins, who was played through by Ross Barkley but failed to make firm contact with his shot, allowing the goalkeeper to gather comfortably. 

Young Boys finally made their breakthrough in the 90th minute when Joel Monteiro produced a stunning chest control and volley past Emiliano Martinez from just inside the box. 

The goal, which stood after a brief VAR check, injected late drama and set up a tense finish as Villa tried to see out the remaining minutes.

Villa held firm through five minutes of added time, with Emery’s side ultimately relieved to hear the final whistle. 

While the performance left room for improvement, the win strengthens Villa’s position in their Europa League group and keeps qualification hopes firmly on track.

Villa host Wolves next in the Premier League on Sunday at the weekend, hoping to continue their run of form.