Walsall vs Aston Villa

Walsall created a couple of half-chances inside the opening 20 minutes, but Villa took control once Madjo opened the scoring in the 24th minute. Kosta Nedeljkovic—returning to the club after a loan spell at RB Leipzig—delivered an inviting cross from the right, and Madjo bullied his marker before finishing from close range.

George Hemmings doubled the lead three minutes before half-time, sweeping home coolly with his left foot after Villa broke the Walsall press. Madjo then struck again on the stroke of the interval, reacting quickest to a loose ball in the box to make it 3-0 at half-time.

Emery made 10 changes at the break, and Villa's Academy products maintained the momentum. Luka Lynch made it 4-0 in the 67th minute with a deflected effort, before Aidan Borland curled a fine finish into the far corner with the outside of his left boot two minutes later to complete the rout.

Madjo's opening goal in the 24th minute. Walsall had matched Villa in the early exchanges, but the 17-year-old striker's physical, clinical finish—his first touch of note—shifted the contest decisively. Once ahead, Villa’s superior quality in possession and the width provided by Nedeljkovic and Leon Bailey left Walsall unable to stem the flow.

Brian Madjo (★ Player of the Match) — Two goals in his first appearance for the senior side, both showcasing his strength and composure in the box. The 17-year-old, yet to make his official competitive debut due to registration issues, looks a serious prospect.

George Hemmings — A constant threat on the right flank, he saw one effort deflected and another curl narrowly wide before sweeping home Villa’s second with a composed left-footed finish in the 42nd minute.

Kosta Nedeljkovic — Provided the assist for Madjo’s opener with a fine cross and looked sharp on his return from a loan spell in Germany.

Aidan Borland — Capped an energetic second-half display with a stylish goal, curling into the far corner from the edge of the box.

The provider data shows five goals from an xG perspective that tells a story of first-half dominance and second-half efficiency. Villa’s three goals before the break reflected sustained pressure through Nedeljkovic’s width and quick transitions, while the two after the interval came from academy graduates making their case for further first-team involvement. Walsall, despite some early bright moments, failed to register a shot on target across the 90 minutes.

For Villa, it’s an ideal start to a seven-match pre-season schedule that includes the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain in Salzburg. New signing Joao Gomes got 45 minutes in the double pivot alongside Borland and looked composed in possession. Villa travel to Porto in Portugal on Saturday 25 July before hosting Real Sociedad at the Bescot Stadium on Tuesday 28 July.

For Walsall, the scoreline reflects the gulf in quality between League Two and a Premier League side. The Saddlers will take fitness and minutes from the exercise as they build towards their league campaign.

Pre-season results carry little weight, but the manner of this performance—particularly the integration of young talents like Madjo, Hemmings and Borland alongside senior figures—will encourage Emery. Nine goals in two pre-season meetings with Walsall across consecutive summers suggests these local friendlies are serving their purpose. The step up in opposition comes quickly with Porto on Saturday.