Ollie Watkins Scores Hat-Trick Against Hibernian As Aston Villa Win Emphatically On Return To Europe

Ollie Watkins scored a hat-trick as Aston Villa thrashed Scottish side Hibernian 5-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off on Wednesday.
Ollie Watkins Scores Hat-Trick Against Hibernian As Aston Villa Win Emphatically On Return To Europe
Ollie Watkins Scores Hat-Trick Against Hibernian As Aston Villa Win Emphatically On Return To Europe /

Ollie Watkins scored a hat-trick as Aston Villa thrashed Scottish side Hibernian 5-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off on Wednesday.

Watkins fired Villa into a 2-0 lead in Edinburgh inside the opening 33 minutes with two headed finishes.

Leon Bailey made it 3-0 late in the first half before Watkins completed his hat-trick six minutes into the second period.

Douglas Luiz then wrapped up an emphatic victory from the penalty spot.

Three of Villa's five goals were assisted by left-back Lucas Digne.

Ollie Watkins pictured celebrating after scoring a hat-trick for Aston Villa in a 5-0 win against Hibs at Easter Road in August 2023
Ollie Watkins pictured celebrating after scoring a hat-trick for Aston Villa in a 5-0 win over Hibs at Easter Road :: IMAGO/PA Images/Jane Barlow

This was Villa's first game in a European competition since August 2010 when they lost 3-2 to Rapid Vienna in a Europa League play-off.

But following Wednesday's heavy win in Edinburgh it would require a monumental collapse to stop Villa reaching the group stage of this season's Europa Conference League.

The second leg will take place in Birmingham on August 31.


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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.