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A brace by the Dutch striker guided the home side closer to direct qualification for the last 16 of the Europa League in a match overshadowed of crowd violence by visiting supporters.

Dutch forward is exemplifying Villa’s greater strength in depth, but this 10th win in 12 games was marred by away supporters ripping up seats, throwing missiles at stewards and Villa players, and clashing with officers.

Beginning of the current season, no club has won more continental games at their own stadium (thirteen out of fifteen) than Unai Emery’s side. Emery appears likely to win this competition for a fifth time.

Match Summary and Incident Particulars

The Swiss fans had contributed to the initially positive mood before Malen’s first goal. Their orchestrated clapping, drumming, pogoing and chanting had helped give the early kick-off a sense of a European night, yet the events after each of the first-half goals was unacceptable by any standards.

Under circumstances similar to past incidents with their fans in the past two years, the Young Boys ultras reacted to the first goal in the 27th minute by throwing plastic cups at the celebrating home team, with the scorer getting a facial injury.

Young Boys had been fined €28,250 by European football's governing body and instructed to cover damages for destroying seats and toilet blocks in their Champions League visit in a previous season. Additionally, they were fined about €18,000 last season for the deployment of flares in their volatile Champions League visit.

Escalation of Trouble

But the trouble escalated after Malen doubled the lead three minutes prior to the break. While the scorer smiled on celebrating with a slide in the vicinity of the travelling fans, they responded by ripping out chairs to hurl alongside further projectiles and fluids at the growing numbers of police and stewards.

Fighting broke out with police while Loris Benito, the Young Boys captain, went over to plead for peace from his club's fans. At least two disruptors were removed by police. Play experienced a lengthy delay before the match resumed and the half be completed.

Young Boys fans confront police and stewards during a eventful opening period.

On-Field Display

Nonetheless, it was been a very satisfactory half on the field for Villa as they chased a seventh straight home win. The forward, who made such an immediate impact when coming on during the break last weekend, was chosen to lead the attack, one of multiple rotations to Emery’s starting lineup.

How he made the most of his chance, sharp and speedy for the duration in play. Marvin Keller had had to tip over his superb long-range effort in the early stages, and two other players came close prior to Malen headed in the delivery from midfield. Villa were utterly controlling that eight players were involved in the buildup.

The play for the second goal was somewhat more direct but no less aesthetically pleasing. A teammate played a superb through pass for the striker to take in his stride down the inside-left channel after which he turned past a defender and drilled home his sixth goal of the season.

Aftermath and Finish

Maybe Malen should not have celebrated in the away fans' area, but the crowd violence was as unforgivable as it was extreme.

There was a subdued mood in the subsequent period as the away supporters, almost to a man dressed in black, refrained from singing. Jadon Sancho had a shot saved, and a Villa player was rightly flagged before providing an assist for a simple finish.

When Villa made substitutions on the hour mark, offering key individuals extra time ahead of the derby with Wolves, the visiting fans sprang back into voice. A taunting chant came the home supporters’ riposte.

As the visitors did first get the ball in the Villa net, a forward sidefooting in a cross, there was a long VAR delay before the score was ruled out for an offside in the buildup. The linesman on the near touchline had shuffled up his line towards halfway and away from the Young Boys supporters when the decision was given.

During added time, however, a substitute scored a consolation goal, following a diagonal pass, and on this occasion VAR could not deny Young Boys their moment of celebration.

After all the political backdrop to the previous European fixture here, Villa will travel to Switzerland next month hoping for a peaceful visit and the victory that should safeguard their progress to the last 16 of the competition.