Donyell Malen powers Aston Villa as Nottingham Forest pick up vital Europa League win
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Aston Villa's Donyell Malen celebrates scoring their second goal with Ian Maatsen.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON – Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was more impressed by Donyell Malen’s development than his goals, as the forward scored twice to beat Young Boys 2-1 in a Europa League tie marred by crowd trouble on Nov 27.
Malen nodded hosts Villa in front from a Youri Tielemans cross but while celebrating, the 26-year-old was struck on the head by an object thrown from the section housing the Swiss side’s supporters.
The Dutch international suffered a small cut but shrugged off the incident and doubled Villa’s lead after being teed up by Morgan Rogers just before half-time.
Young Boys fans clashed with police after the goal and captain Loris Benito went over and pleaded with them to settle down as the match was briefly interrupted.
Joel Monteiro pulled one back in the 90th minute for Young Boys with a thumping finish, but Villa secured a fourth win in five games to leave them trailing top-two Lyon and Midtjylland only on goal difference.
“He’s progressively getting better. Progressively he is getting fit and he played with his national team (Netherlands),” said Emery of Malen, who was signed in the January transfer window.
“He is doing his tasks over his goals and for me the most important thing is how he is working, how he is getting fit and better.
“Doing his tasks like we are tactically demanding from each player and then he’s getting numbers, which is fantastic. He’s helping us and really performing very good and keeps going.”
Asked about the crowd trouble, Emery said: “We need respect for both sides. It is not necessary to get a moment like we had today. Respect for both sides. I think he’s (Malen) OK.”
Villa are on a run of 10 wins in 12 matches in all competitions after a five-match winless run to start the English Premier League season.
“I think we’ve turned it around quite well and we just have to keep this form and stay humble and work hard,” Malen told TNT Sports, insisting he was “fine” after being hit by a plastic cup.
Young Boys' Swiss defender Loris Benito tries to calm the crowd during a brief match interruption.
PHOTO: AFP
Elsewhere, Ryan Yates, Arnaud Kalimuendo and Nikola Milenkovic scored as Nottingham Forest cruised to a 3-0 win over Malmo at the City Ground in a repeat of the 1979 European Cup final.
Yates curled Forest in front, before French striker Kalimuendo turned in from close range to net his first goal for the club. Milenkovic sealed a second win in five European outings for Forest in the second half, as Sean Dyche’s team climbed to 16th place on eight points.
“It is unbelievable. These nights at the City Ground in Europe, we have to cherish them. They are just so special,” Yates told TNT Sports.
“We knew if we performed to what we know we can, we would get the result.”
Lyon took over top spot with a 6-0 rout of Maccabi Tel Aviv in Serbia, as captain Corentin Tolisso grabbed a hat-trick. Abner Vinicius, Moussa Niakhate and Adam Karabec were also on the score sheet for the visitors.
Danish side Midtjylland lost their perfect record in the league phase after going down 2-1 away to Serie A leaders Roma.
Rangers picked up their first point after four successive defeats, drawing 1-1 at home to Braga as both teams finished with 10 men. AFP
Malmo goalkeeper Melker Ellborg dives, but fails to save a goal from Nottingham Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic (right).
PHOTO: AFP
