Dutch striker Donyell Malen delivered an impressive performance despite being struck by an object from the crowd, scoring both goals in Aston Villa's 2-1 victory over Swiss side Young Boys in Thursday's Europa League encounter.
Match Marred by Crowd Disturbances
The match at Villa Park witnessed concerning scenes when Malen was hit on the head by a plastic cup thrown from the away supporters' section immediately after scoring his opening goal in the first half. The incident left the Dutch international with a minor cut, but he demonstrated remarkable professionalism by continuing to play.
The situation escalated further when Young Boys fans clashed with police following Villa's second goal, causing a temporary interruption to the match. Young Boys captain Loris Benito intervened, appealing to the traveling supporters to calm down and allow the game to proceed.
Villa's Impressive Form Continues
Malen had given Villa the lead with a well-placed header from Youri Tielemans' cross before doubling the advantage just before halftime after being set up by Morgan Rogers. Despite Joel Monteiro's powerful 90th-minute consolation goal for the visitors, Villa secured their fourth victory in five European outings.
The win extends Villa's impressive run to 10 victories in their last 12 matches across all competitions, marking a significant turnaround after beginning the Premier League season with a five-match winless streak. Villa now trail only Lyon and Midtjylland on goal difference in their Europa League group.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Malen confirmed he was "fine" following the incident and emphasized the team's improved form: "I think we've turned it around quite well and we just have to keep this form and stay humble and work hard."
Other Europa League Results
In other Thursday fixtures, Nottingham Forest comfortably defeated Malmo 3-0 at the City Ground in a repeat of the 1979 European Cup final. Ryan Yates, Arnaud Kalimuendo, and Nikola Milenkovic found the net for Forest, with French striker Kalimuendo scoring his first goal for the club.
The victory marked Forest's second win in five European appearances this season, lifting Sean Dyche's team to 16th position with eight points. Yates described the European nights at City Ground as "unbelievable" and "special" in his post-match comments.
Elsewhere, Lyon claimed top spot in their group with a dominant 6-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv in Serbia, featuring a hat-trick from captain Corentin Tolisso. Meanwhile, Danish side Midtjylland saw their perfect record end with a 2-1 away defeat to Serie A leaders Roma.
Scottish champions Celtic secured a valuable 3-1 comeback win at Feyenoord, while Rangers earned their first point after four consecutive defeats with a 1-1 draw against Braga.
