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Two goals from Donyell Malen propelled Aston Villa toward direct qualification into the knockout stage of the Europa League in a match overshadowed of crowd violence by visiting supporters.

Dutch forward is exemplifying the team's greater strength in depth, however this tenth victory in 12 games was tainted by visiting fans destroying stadium seating, hurling missiles at stewards and home team athletes, and clashing with officers.

Since the start of the current season, no team has won more continental matches at home (thirteen out of fifteen) than the Villa squad. The Villa manager looks a good bet to win this competition for a record fifth occasion.

Match Overview and Disturbance Particulars

The Swiss fans had helped dictate the initially positive mood prior to Malen’s first goal. Their orchestrated clapping, drumming, pogoing and chanting had helped give the afternoon start a feeling of a continental occasion, although the events after each of the early scores was inexcusable by any standards.

Under circumstances similar to past incidents involving their supporters in the recent past, the visiting hardcore fans responded to the first goal in the 27th minute by launching plastic cups at the celebrating home team, with the goalscorer getting a cut to the head.

The Swiss club had been penalized €28,250 by Uefa and ordered to pay City compensation for damaging seats and toilet blocks in their Champions League match in a previous season. Additionally, they were further penalized last season for the use of pyrotechnics in their volatile Champions League visit.

Worsening of Trouble

However, the situation got worse following Malen doubled the lead three minutes before half-time. While the scorer grinned doing a knee-slide in the vicinity of the travelling fans, the fans reacted by tearing up chairs to hurl in addition to more plastic cups and fluids at the increased presence of police and stewards.

Clashes erupted with police while Loris Benito, team leader, approached to appeal for calm from his club's fans. At least two trouble-makers were escorted away by officers. There was a five-minute holdup before the match resumed and the half be completed.

Young Boys fans confront authorities during a eventful first half.

On-Field Display

It had at least been a highly positive period on the field for the hosts as they pursued a seventh successive victory at their ground. The forward, who made such an immediate impact when coming on as a half-time substitute in a previous match, was selected to lead the attack, among multiple rotations to Emery’s starting lineup.

He capitalized fully of his opportunity, sharp and speedy for all of his hour on the pitch. Marvin Keller had been forced to save his superb 25-yard shot in the early stages, and both teammates came close prior to the Dutchman nodded home a cross from a teammate. The home side were utterly controlling that eight players were involved in the buildup.

The play for the next score was somewhat more direct but no less pleasing to watch. Morgan Rogers played a superb through pass for the striker to take in his stride down the inside-left channel before he cut back inside a defender and drilled home his sixth goal of the campaign.

Post-Incident and Finish

Perhaps Malen ought to have avoided celebrating in the visiting supporters’ direction, but the supporter misconduct was as unforgivable as it was extreme.

There was a quieter atmosphere over the next half hour as the Young Boys fans, almost to a man dressed in black, ceased their chants. Jadon Sancho had a shot saved, and a Villa player was correctly given offside when providing an assist for a simple finish.

But as Villa made substitutions on the sixty-minute point, offering key individuals extra time ahead of the derby with Wolves, the visiting fans resumed their noise. A taunting chant was the home crowd's retort.

As the visitors eventually put the ball in the Villa net, a forward sidefooting in a cross, there was a protracted video review before the score was ruled out for a positional infringement in the preceding action. The linesman on that side had shuffled up his line up the field and distanced from the away fans when the decision was given.

During added time, however, Joël Monteiro scored a consolation goal, following a cross-field ball, and on this occasion VAR could not deny Young Boys their brief jubilation.

After all the political backdrop to the previous European fixture here, the team will head to Basel in December hoping for a peaceful visit and the three points that ought to secure their progress to the last 16 of the competition.