Cool Benteke seals crucial win for Villa
Print Edition
A LAST-GASP Christian Benteke penalty handed Tim Sherwood his first win as Aston Villa manager and lifted his side out of the Premier League relegation zone with a 2-1 home victory against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday.
Sadio Mane struck late to rejuvenate Southampton’s fading battle for Champions League qualification with a 1-0 home win against Crystal Palace to move it into fifth, while Sunderland came from behind to draw 1-1 at Hull City.
Aston Villa, which has never been relegated during the Premier League era, started the day second bottom and on a seven-game losing streak, its worst run for 52 years.
In his third game in charge, Sherwood avoided tying Dick Taylor’s 1964 record of losing his opening three league matches in dramatic circumstances.
Villa nearly took the lead when West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster spilled a routine save but he managed to claw the ball to safety, with goalline technology proving it was a whisker away.
Gabriel Agbonlahor struck his first goal in 14 games to open the scoring after 22 minutes, latching onto Benteke’s knock on to slot the ball through the legs of Foster, sparking wild celebrations from Sherwood.
The visitors equalized after 67 minutes when Saido Berahino headed in from close range. It was the striker’s 12th league goal of the season.
Just as the match looked to be heading for a draw, hapless Foster fumbled the ball again and, in a desperate attempt to rectify his mistake, brought down Matthew Lowton to concede a penalty.
Belgium striker Benteke stepped up to coolly roll the ball in from the spot four minutes into added time.
It was Villa’s first win in 13 league games and lifted it into 17th place on 25 points, three above the relegation zone.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
