On October 22, Aston Villa hosted Italy’s Bologna at Villa Park, while Juventus welcomed Stuttgart to Allianz Stadium for matchday three of the UEFA Champions League.
Duran Continues His Scoring Streak
The match at Villa Park was evenly matched in terms of statistics, with both teams recording six shots on target—Aston Villa holding a slight possession advantage of 52% to Bologna’s 48%. The first half ended without any goals, but the second half saw John McGinn break the deadlock for Villa. After a well-executed free-kick from the far-right side, McGinn found the net, setting the stage for a stronger Villa performance.
Less than ten minutes later, Morgan Rogers delivered a precise cross to young Colombian star Jhon Duran, who finished with finesse to extend the lead to 2-0. The match concluded with Aston Villa securing the victory, leaving them with nine points from three games and an impressive record of zero goals conceded in their Champions League campaign.
Stuttgart Claims Crucial Points
In a surprising twist, Stuttgart faced off against Italy’s storied Juventus, leading to an unexpected outcome. Stuttgart fired off 11 shots on target compared to Juventus’ solitary shot throughout the match. Juve’s goalkeeper, Mattia Perin, delivered a commendable performance, making 10 saves to keep his team in contention, especially after Danilo received a second yellow card in the 84th minute, resulting in a sending-off and conceding a penalty.
Perin denied the penalty, showcasing his skills, but Stuttgart eventually found the breakthrough in the dying moments of the match. In the 92nd minute, El Bilal Toure surged into the box to score the only goal of the night, securing Stuttgart’s first win of the Champions League season and boosting them to four points in the group standings.
Looking Ahead
Next up, Juventus will clash with reigning Italian champions Inter Milan on October 27 at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium as part of Serie A action. Meanwhile, Stuttgart will host Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga, aiming to build on their newfound momentum.
