Aston Villa secured a 2-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in a Europa League group stage match at Villa Park on Wednesday, in a fixture marked by heightened security and political tension.

Goals from Ian Maatsen and Donyell Malen earned Villa three points, lifting them to sixth in the league phase with 10 points from four matches.

The match was played without Maccabi supporters following a ban linked to security concerns over the Gaza conflict. West Midlands Police deployed 700 officers, and six arrests were made outside the stadium amid pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrations.

Maatsen opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time, converting a Morgan Rogers assist for his first goal since April. Malen doubled the lead in the 59th minute with a penalty awarded after Ezri Konsa fell in the box—a decision Maccabi manager Zarko Lazetic criticized as unwarranted.

Villa, recovering from a recent loss to Liverpool, dominated possession but struggled to convert chances. Goalkeeper Emi Martinez made key saves to deny Dor Peretz, while Osher Davida’s effort deflected wide. Maccabi, advised to arrive early for security reasons, missed several opportunities to equalize.

Unai Emery acknowledged the win but expressed dissatisfaction with the overall performance: “We won seriously, passionately, but conceded more than planned.”

The match took place three years to the day since Emery’s debut win over Manchester United. Villa next face Bournemouth on Saturday, followed by Leeds on November 23. Maccabi will host Beitar Jerusalem on Sunday and Lyon on November 27.