Aston Villa enjoying dream start to first Champions League campaign as Duran seals 3rd straight win

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Three straight wins, no goals conceded and top of the league on maximum points.

Aston Villa’s first ever appearance in the Champions League couldn’t be going any better.

Villa’s 2-0 home win over Bologna on Tuesday maintained the 100% start to the English team’s first campaign in Europe’s top club competition since 1983 — when it was called the European Cup, which Villa won in 1982.

“What we are building here is amazing,” said Villa captain John McGinn, one of the scorers against Bologna at a rocking Villa Park.

Villa opened with a 3-0 win at Swiss outsider Young Boys and then beat German giant Bayern Munich 1-0 in its first home game of the revamped competition.

Halfway through the third round of league games, Villa is in first place and no other team has nine points.

“We are playing seriously, we are playing focused, responsible and the team is progressing and mature in everything,” said Villa manager Unai Emery, who took charge two years ago with the team just above the relegation zone.

Key this season has been the form of Jhon Duran, the 20-year-old Colombia international who is enjoying his breakthrough year at Villa.

Duran was handed a rare start against Bologna ahead of first-choice striker Ollie Watkins and was about to be replaced by his fellow center forward when he hooked home a volley in the 64th minute from Morgan Rogers’ cross.

Watkins was on the sideline waiting to come on and was seen applauding the goal by Duran, who now has seven for the season in 12 games — mostly as a substitute. One of them was a memorable long-range winner against Bayern.

“When he was watching that I was thinking of changing him, he accelerated and scored a goal,” Emery said, laughing. “It was fantastic. He was asking for more (time) because he was thinking he could score more goals.”

Duran was not amused at immediately being taken off after his goal. He angrily punched a seat in the dugout and then headed down the tunnel soon after. But he came back at the end of the match to join in with his team's celebrations.

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Bologna's fans hold banners at the end of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Aston Villa and Bologna at the Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Aston Villa's head coach Unai Emery during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Aston Villa and Bologna at the Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Fans unveil a giant banner prior to the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Aston Villa and Bologna at the Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Aston Villa's John McGinn celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Aston Villa and Bologna at the Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (David Davies/PA via AP)

Aston Villa's Jhon Duran, left, celebrates scoring his sides second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Aston Villa and Bologna at the Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (David Davies/PA via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — The Orioles put Ryan Helsley on the 15-day injured list Friday because of right elbow inflammation and are optimistic their closer will not miss significant time.

“I think he said he felt something maybe like a week ago, but it wasn’t anything concerning,” Baltimore manager Craig Albernaz said after a 7-2 loss to the Yankees. “I think ultimately he kind of thought it would just go away and discomfort was still there and level of concern is not high at all.

Albernaz said testing came back clean and Helsley is taking anti-inflammatory medication. Helsley is the 12th player to go on the injured list for the Orioles, who also lost starting pitcher Zach Eflin to Tommy John surgery on his left elbow.

A 31-year-old right-hander signed to a $28 million, two-year contract in December after struggling in the final two months of last season for the Mets, Helsley is perfect in seven saves chances. He is 0-2 with a 2.53 ERA in 12 appearances, striking out 15 and walking seven in 10 2/3 innings.

Helsley last pitched Tuesday when he threw 12 pitches and earned the save in Baltimore’s 5-3 win over Houston.

While with St. Louis, Helsley was sidelined between June 7 and Sept. 1 in 2023 because of a strained right forearm. He also missed the final six weeks of the pandemic shortened 2020 season with knee and elbow injuries and missed time as a rookie in 2019 with right shoulder impingement.

In other moves, the Orioles recalled left-hander Cade Povich from Triple-A Norfolk to start against the Yankees, selected the contract of right-hander Albert Suárez from the Tides and optioned right-hander Cameron Foster to A Norfolk.

Povich allowed home runs to José Caballero and Ben Rice in the second inning and pitched four innings. Suárez followed Povich with 2 2/3 innings in his sixth appearance this year.

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Baltimore Orioles pitcher Ryan Helsley (21) delivers during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)