Sad News: Just Now, Aston villa Manager Unai Emery was involved in a car crash today….
Aston Villa beat Walsall 3-0 at the Bescot Stadium in their first pre-season friendly of the summer.
Morgan Rogers bagged a brace in the first half before Louie Barry scored late in the second period. New signing Ross Barkley started the first half, while Matty Cash captained the side from the off. Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior both featured in the second period, as did right-back Kosta Nedeljkovic, who joined the club back in January.
Barkley’s quick-thinking led to the opener as he slipped a pass through to Rogers from a free-kick, before the former Man City forward finished past Walsall goalkeeper Tommy Simkin. Villa were lucky not to fall behind when Barkley’s pass was cut out across the box earlier in the first half, but Unai Emery’s side weren’t troubled after that.
Rogers doubled the lead from Barkley’s corner, as Walsall failed to clear their lines. It was a smart finish from Villa’s number 27.
At the break, Emery chose to field a completely new XI as youngsters Sil Swinkels, Barry and Kadan Young came on, while the likes of Lamare Bogarde, Jamal Jimoh-Aloba and Josh Feeney started. Joe Gauci also came in for Robin Olsen, making his first appearance of sorts since signing back in January.
Leon Bailey had a great chance to extend Villa’s lead in the second half, but his effort from close range flew over the bar. It was Iling-Junior who picked the Jamaican out inside the box. Iling-Junior then grabbed his assist by squaring the ball across the box for Barry to tap in.
Villa’s will play their next pre-season friendly against Spartak Trnava in Slovakia on Saturday (kick-off 3pm BST).
