Aston Villa Secures Top Eight Finish with 1-0 Victory Over Fenerbahce

Aston Villa guaranteed themselves a top-eight finish in the Europa League after Jadon Sancho's first-half header secured a 1-0 victory over Fenerbahce in Turkey. Villa's impressive European record went to new heights as they earned a sixth win from their seven matches this season and brought Fenerbahce's unbeaten record at home to an end in the process. Sancho opened his account in Villa colours to put the visitors in the driving seat in front of a loud Sukru Saracoglu atmosphere. The Premier League side had to deal with several injury issues this week and their mettle was more than tested in the second period as goalkeeper Marco Bizot stepped up in the absence of Emi Martinez to make eight saves to keep their lead safe. Morgan Rogers saw his goal scrubbed out for offside but they had a reprieve themselves when Kemer Akturkoglu thought he equalised, only for VAR to intervene for a second time. Villa's home match with RB Salzburg next week will be nothing more than a formality, knowing their place inside the round of 16 is safe. Villa looked lively from the off, Rogers' back heel fed Ollie Watkins but his goal-bound effort was blocked behind by Mert Müldür in their first real opening on goal. Former Villa duo Jhon Durán and Marco Asensio linked up outside the area with a neat move and the latter sent an effort into the grasp of Bizot. The noise inside the stadium fell silent as the away side hit the front in the 25th minute. Some neat play ended at the feet of Matty Cash, who saw his cross flick off the head of Ismail Yüksek and nicely onto the head of Sancho, who nodded the ball beyond Éderson. Villa ought to have doubled their advantage before the break as well. Rogers found Sancho, who sat a couple of defenders down and thought he would roll into an empty goal but Milan Skriniar produced a heroic block to keep the deficit at one. Unai Emery's side were keen to catch their Turkish opponents cold after the break as well, Tyrone Mings saw a snapshot go wide before Emi Buendia could not capitalise after taking the ball round Ederson. Bizot produced a stunning save to keep Villa's lead intact as he rushed out to stop substitute Talisca from point-blank range. Both ends of the pitch were seeing action and Cash decided to have a crack from range which beat Ederson but ricocheted off the post. Villa thought they got their second when Rogers bundled one over the line but Sancho fractionally mistimed his run before squaring it to his team-mate. Bizot continued to be busy down the other end as he made two quick-fire saves to stop Talisca with his legs after denying Akturkoglu and a long-range effort from Yuksek. It was Fenerbahce's turn to have a goal chalked off through VAR as Akturkoglu saw an initial effort saved by Bizot and he tucked in the rebound but Duran was shown to be offside in the build-up as Villa held on for the win.