McGinn's early goal gives Aston Villa its first win of the season in Europa League

Captain John McGinn's early goal was enough to give Aston Villa its first win of the season as the English side beat Bologna 1-0 in the Europa League on Thursday.

McGinn beat Bologna goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski with a low left-foot shot from outside the area 13 minutes into the match at Villa Park.

Substitute Ollie Watkins earned a penalty in the second half but then failed to stretch the lead with a poorly executed spot kick that was saved by Skorupski.

Villa has endured a frustrating start domestically, with three draws and two losses in the Premier League. But it has a coach who knows how to succeed in Europe: Unai Emery is the most successful manager in the second-tier Europa League with four titles, three with Sevilla and one with Villarreal.

Emery led Villa to placings of fourth and sixth in the last two Premier League seasons and to the quarterfinals of the Champions League. But this season Villa is winless in the Premier League, scoring a single goal in five games and already eliminated from the English League Cup.

The game against the Serie A team was a rematch of their encounter last season at Villa Park in the Champions League, where Villa won 2-0. McGinn also scored one in that game.

Another team struggling in its domestic league, winless Rangers, fell to a 1-0 loss to Belgian visitors Genk at Ibrox Stadium, a result that only puts more pressure on coach Russell Martin.

Rangers midfielder Mohamed Diomande was sent off for a straight red card four minutes before halftime. But goalkeeper Jack Butland prevented the visitors from taking the lead before the break by saving a penalty from Oh Hyeon-gyu in first-half stoppage time.

But the South Korea striker found the back of the net 10 minutes into the second half, beating Butland with a left-foot strike.

In one of the early kickoffs, veteran striker Olivier Giroud came off the bench to score a late goal and give Lille a 2-1 win over Brann.

The 38-year-old former Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan and Los Angeles FC striker surged into the area to meet a cross form Tiago Santos and head home the winner 10 minutes from time.

Hamza Igamane broke the deadlock nine minutes into the second half from close range to give Lille a 1-0 lead. The Norwegian visitors replied six minutes later on a fast counter through Saevar Atli Magnússon.

In another early game, Romanian club FCSB won 1-0 away at Go Ahead Eagles, in the Dutch team's debut in the competition. The hosts qualified by winning the Dutch Cup.

In Bern, Morocco forward Anass Zaroury netted three goals and Karol Swiderski added another for Panathinaikos to rout Young Boys 4-1 after jumping out to a 3-0 lead after just 19 minutes. Saidy Janko pulled one back for Young Boys.

Recently signed winger Badredine Bouanani scored for Stuttgart by lobbing goalkeeper Ionut Radu, and Bilal El Khannouss added one more in the second half to hand Celta Vigo a 2-1 defeat. Borja Iglesis reduced the deficit for the Spanish club, which returned to a European competition for the first time since 2016-17 season.

Also, Lyon won 1-0 away at Utrecht courtesy of a strike by substitute Tanner Tessmann and Porto beat Salzburg by the same score after another substitute, William Gomes, scored the winner in stoppage time.

Hungarian champion Fenencáros was reduced to 10 men after midfielder Cebrail Makreckis received his second yellow card in the 38th minute but managed to draw 1-1 with Czech side Viktoria Plzeň in Budapest.

The Europa League uses the same 36-team league format as the Champions League. Teams play eight different opponents during the league phase and are ranked in a single-standings table.

The opening round was split over two days. On Wednesday, Antony's late equalizer rescued a 2-2 draw for Real Betis against Nottingham Forest.

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Panathinaikos' Anass Zaroury celebrates scoring during the Europa League soccer match between BSC Young Boys and Panathinaikos FC, at the Wankdorf stadium, in Bern, Switzerland, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. (Alessandro della Valle/Keystone via AP)

Genk's Oh Hyeon-Gyu, right, scores his sides first goal against Rangers during a Europa League soccer match at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. (Ewan Bootman/PA via AP)

Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, left, takes and misses a penalty during the Europa League soccer match between Aston Villa and Bologna at Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Darren Staples)

Aston Villa's John McGinn celebrates at the end of the Europa League soccer match between Aston Villa and Bologna at Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Darren Staples)

Brann's Saevar Atli Magnusson, left, fights for the ball with Lille's Chancel Mbemba, right, during the Europa League soccer match between Lille and Brann at the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq, northern France, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Lille's Olivier Giroud, center, and Lille's Calvin Verdonk, left, celebrate after their win during the Europa League soccer match between Lille and Brann at the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq, northern France, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Lille's Olivier Giroud celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Europa League soccer match between Lille and Brann at the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq, northern France, Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Bologna's Riccardo Orsolini, center left, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Genoa at the Renato Dall'Ara Stadium in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, right, and Tyrone Mings during a training session at Bodymoor Heath Training Ground, Tamworth, England, Wednesday Sept. 24, 2025, one day ahead of their UEFA Europa League soccer match against Bologna FC. (Jacob King/PA via AP)

Aston Villa's Donyell Malen, right, in action during the English Premier League soccer match between Sunderland and Aston Villa at the Stadium of Light, in Sunderland, England, Sunday Sept. 21, 2025. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

DENVER (AP) — Brandon Marsh hit a three-run homer as part of a seven-run first inning, Aaron Nola pitched efficiently into the seventh and the Philadelphia Phillies spoiled Colorado’s home opener by beating the Rockies 10-1 on Friday.

The Phillies set the tone early by sending 11 batters to the plate against Michael Lorenzen (0-1) to begin the game. They finished with 13 hits, including three homers — all by lefties — with the wind blowing from left field. Marsh hit a sinker that went a projected 454 feet to the second deck in right-center. In the second, Bryce Harper launched a solo shot. Kyle Schwarber added a 460-foot drive to right field in the fifth.

Nola (1-0) scattered five hits and gave up one run over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out nine — the bullpen had six more — as Philadelphia won its eighth straight over Colorado. The latest one marked the Rockies' most lopsided loss in a home opener.

It also was win No. 350 for Phillies manager Rob Thomson, making him the fastest to reach the mark in club history (604 games).

There were 48,366 fans who showed up on a sunny but cool afternoon. The Rockies, a team coming off three straight 100-loss seasons, dropped to 18-16 in home openers, including 17-15 at Coors Field.

It was a rough outing for Lorenzen, who allowed nine runs and 12 hits over three innings. Mickey Moniak had one of Colorado's five hits in his first game of the season. Moniak started on the injured list due to a sprained right ring finger.

The Rockies were coming off a three-game series win in Toronto. They didn't capture their first series last season until early June against Miami.

The Phillies will throw lefty Jesús Luzardo (0-1, 9.00 ERA) on Saturday. The Rockies hadn't announced a scheduled starter, but right-hander Chase Dollander (1-0, 9.00) is expected to get some work.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen calls for a new ball after giving up a three-run home run to Philadelphia Phillies' Brandon Marsh in the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

From left to right, Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh celebrate as Marsh crosses home plate after hitting a three-run home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen in the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola works against the Colorado Rockies in the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper, right, congratulates Kyle Schwarber after his solo home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Valente Bellozo in the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Philadelphia Phillies' Brandon Marsh, right, follows the flight of his three-run home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen in the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)