Aston Villa’s flawless start in the Europa League came to an unexpected halt with a shocking 2-1 loss to Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday, while new Rangers manager Danny Rohl endured a disappointing debut, suffering a 3-0 defeat to Brann.
Villa had looked every bit the pre-tournament favourites after impressive victories over Bologna and Feyenoord, giving them an early boost in Europe. Despite Unai Emery rotating his squad with seven changes, the visitors began brightly as Evann Guessand netted his first goal for Villa.
However, under harsh weather conditions, the Dutch side pulled off a remarkable win in their first-ever European group stage appearance. Mathis Suray equalised before halftime with a deflected strike, and Mats Deijl later chipped over Emiliano Martinez to complete the comeback.
Emi Buendia, who recently shone as Villa’s match-winner at Tottenham, failed to repeat his heroics, missing a late penalty that could have salvaged a point.
Rangers’ European ambitions now hang by a thread after a third consecutive Europa League defeat left them rooted to the bottom of the 36-team table. The managerial switch offered no spark, as the Scottish side fell to Norwegian opponents for the first time in their history. Emil Kornvig opened the scoring for Brann, Jacob Sorensen doubled the lead from a set piece, and Noah Holm sealed a memorable win.
Elsewhere, Sean Dyche aims to reignite Nottingham Forest’s first European campaign in 30 years as he prepares for his managerial debut against Porto. Forest, who recently dismissed Ange Postecoglou after just 40 days and eight matches, have managed only one point from their opening fixtures.
Celtic will also hope to turn their fortunes around when they welcome Sturm Graz, while Lyon extended their perfect run with a 2-0 victory over Basel through goals from Corentin Tolisso and Afonso Moreira. Braga joined them with three wins out of three after defeating Red Star Belgrade 2-0. Bologna earned their first league-phase victory with a 2-1 win at Steaua Bucharest. Fenerbahce edged Stuttgart 1-0, and Real Betis were held to a goalless draw at Genk.
What You Should Know
Aston Villa’s defeat marked a surprising turn in their strong Europa League campaign, proving that no side is immune to setbacks in unpredictable conditions.
Unai Emery’s tactical rotations didn’t pay off, as the Dutch underdogs capitalized on key moments to secure a historic win. Meanwhile, Rangers’ struggles continued under new management, emphasizing the growing competition and unpredictability in this year’s European contests.
Elsewhere, teams like Lyon, Braga, and Fenerbahce solidified their positions as serious contenders in the tournament.
