Morgan Rogers over the moon after Aston Villa lifts Europa League trophy

Morgan Rogers over the moon after Aston Villa lifts Europa League trophy

Morgan Rogers capped a breakthrough season by helping Aston Villa win the UEFA Europa League in Istanbul, as they defeated SC Freiburg 3-0 to end a 30-year wait for a major trophy.

The England international, representing the England national football team, struck Villa's third goal in the second half with a close-range finish, sealing the final and confirming his first senior career silverware.

Rogers, who made his 55th appearance of the season, had earlier gone close twice from distance inside the opening ten minutes before eventually making his decisive contribution after the break.

The match underlined Villa's dominance on the night, with the scoreline reflecting a controlled performance under manager Unai Emery, whose influence Rogers praised after the final.

"It's hard to put into words," he said via the club's official website.

"We've worked so hard for this. We've delivered and come through.

"It's a great moment for the fans, great for the club. We'll go down in history.

"There was so much excitement. We're all really excited."

He added: "The manager has been banging on at me to get easier goals and get into the box. I'm happy I could get a toe onto it and score.

"I'm tired but not that tired. It's all worth it in the end.

"We had a bit of everything. Different players go through it differently but there was so much excitement. It was a great opportunity for us to go and win a trophy.

"We all knew the task at hand and to get the job done - we went and did that." 

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