Europa League Matchday 1 highlights and round-up: Aston Villa prevail, Genk win against Rangers

John McGinn's first-half goal proved to be a winner for Aston Villa, while Genk got the better of Rangers on Matchday 1's second night in the UEFA Europa League.

UEFA.com wraps up both days of action.

Aston Villa 1-0 Bologna

John McGinn's fine strike earned Villa a narrow victory in a tense encounter. The Villans skipper squeezed a low effort just inside Łukasz Skorupski's left-hand post after collecting a 13th-minute clearance just outside the area. Rossoblú goalkeeper Skorupski foiled Unai Emery's men on a number of occasions, and kept out a penalty from substitute Ollie Watkins midway through the second half. Bologna went close to levelling late on but Santiago Castro's powerful header clipped the bar and Martin Vitík was denied by a superb Marco Bizot save.

Rangers 0-1 Genk

Former Celtic striker Hyeongyu Oh returned to Glasgow to get the winner for Genk at Ibrox. In an incident-packed first half, Genk's Patrik Hrošovský hit a post and Rangers' Mohamed Diomande was sent off following a challenge on Zakaria El Ouahdi. James Tavernier then brought down Yaimar Medina but Oh's resulting penalty was saved by Jack Butland. The forward had better fortune after the break, with his finish from just inside the area clinching the points for the Belgian side.

Best of the rest 

• Winger Anass Zaroury scored the first hat-trick of the 2025/26 Europa League (and indeed the first treble of his career) as coach-less Panathinaikos put domestic woes behind them to win 4-1 against Young Boys in Berne.
• Five days shy of his 39th birthday, substitute Olivier Giroud became the third-oldest scorer in Europa League history by heading Lille's winner against Brann, settling an entertaining contest in which each side also hit the woodwork twice.
• William Gomes' added-time curler gave Porto a 1-0 win at Salzburg, Tanner Tessmann hit Lyon's winner at Utrecht while Stuttgart edged out Celta in Germany, Badredine Bouanani and Bilal El Khannouss on target for the home side.

Real Betis 2-2 Nottingham Forest

Antony's 85th-minute equaliser earned Betis a point in Nottingham Forest's first European match since March 1996. Cédric Bakambu finished clinically for the Spanish side after 15 minutes, but Igor Jesus slotted in three minutes later and headed Forest in front in the 23rd minute before Callum Hudson-Odoi shot against a post for the Premier League club. Los Verdiblancos made three changes at the break but struggled to produce telling chances until their former Manchester United winger struck.

Crvena Zvezda 1-1 Celtic

Marko Arnautović tapped in from close range to salvage a point for Crvena Zvezda in a hard-fought meeting in Belgrade. Bruno Duarte's ferocious drive was brilliantly touched on to the crossbar by Kasper Schmeichel and Matheus made three big saves from Benjamin Nygren, Kelechi Iheanacho and Colby Donovan before Iheanacho finished well from Nygren's pass on 55 minutes. The visitors' lead lasted just ten minutes, Arnautović's intervention midway through the second half meaning the sides ended level.

Best of the rest 

• Sturm Graz goalkeeper Oliver Christensen was credited with the first goal of the campaign after fumbling a Djú Franculino corner into his own net seven minutes into his side's opener at Midtjylland. The Danish side ran out 2-0 winners.
• Mounsef Bakrar's added-time effort and a double from Dion Beljo ensured GNK Dinamo started the league phase with a 3-1 win over Fenerbahçe, who had equalised through Sebastian Szymański.
• Centre-backs Evan N'Dicka and Gianluca Mancini were both on target for Roma as they held on for a 2-1 victory over Nice, for whom Terem Moffi scored a consolation from the penalty spot.