Scotland talisman shines in Champions League victory.
Scotland international John McGinn was hailed as “the heart” of his Aston Villa side after they moved into second place in the Champions League table with a 3-1 win over Viking FK on Wednesday night.
McGinn, 31, was named man of the match as the Midlands outfit won their third successive game in the competition, with goals from Ross Barkley, Emiliano Buendía and an Henrik Heggheim own goal helping them equal their best-ever start to Europe’s premier competition at Villa Park.
Having been brought off the bench at half-time in the 1-0 league win over Newcastle United at the weekend, the former Hibs man was restored to the starting line-up by Unai Emery, donning the captain’s armband as Villa looked to match a record that was first set back in their historic 1981/82 European Cup-winning campaign.
Ahead of kick-off, murmurs suggested the Scottish midfielder might have been forced into an unusual left-back role due to Villa’s defensive injury crisis. With Ian Maatsen, Matteo Ruggeri and Aaron Wan-Bissaka all ruled out, McGinn was suggested as an unconventional choice at full-back by broadcaster Dan Bardell. However, the role was handed to teenager Ibrahim Mbaye instead, with the skipper taking up his usual role on the left-hand side of a front three behind Nicholas Jackson.
It didn’t take long for the home side to take the lead against their Norwegian counterparts, with England international Barkley’s bullet header from a teasing Mbaye corner putting the hosts into the driving seat after just 23 minutes. Villa added to their lead on 37 minutes when Buendia slotted home from the penalty spot after a VAR intervention ruled that Heggheim had felled Alysson in the area, despite the referee initially waving away protests.
The night went from bad to worse for Viking left-back Heggheim just after the hour mark when he attempted to block an Alysson cross, but only succeeded in directing the ball into his own net as Villa took a 3-0 lead. Peter Christiansen reduced the deficit with a stunning volley from inside the area on 84 minutes, though it made little difference to the end result.
While McGinn didn’t score or assist, he tallied some eye-catching numbers. Creating the joint-most chances in the game (3), he had a 93 per cent pass completion rate and won all but one of his duels.
The Villa View said he was “influential from kick-off”, while MyOldMan added: “McGinn was at his best and helped Villa control the visitors.” AOL sport branded it as a “typical 'Super John McGinn' performance”, saying the Scot was “at the heart of everything. Tackling. Passing. Just what Villa fans have come to love.”
“We are delighted with the atmosphere here,” said Villa boss Emery after the game. “With the supporters enjoying the way we are doing in Champions League. This competition is fantastic; after the Premier League, this competition is something... Europe especially is where we can feel as well comfortable.
“So how the players they are responding as well in our challenges, in our demands is really fantastic, and how we as well tactically trying to get compact better, and how we can as well feel we need tactically to respond against the things or against the competition we are facing.”
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