Villa secure shootout success

Brad Guzan emerged as the Aston Villa hero as Martin O'Neill's men secured their place in the Carling Cup quarter-finals with a 3-1 penalty shootout victory over Sunderland, following a 0-0 draw at the Stadium of Light.

The American, an understudy to Brad Friedel at club and international level, saved Kenwyne Jones' late penalty to take the game to extra-time and ultimately penalties.

And he maintained his excellence by saving three of Sunderland's four spot-kicks in the shoot-out with Ashley Young converting the clincher to send Villa into the last eight.

The Wearsiders will feel hard done by but they only have themselves to blame after squandering some gilt-edged chances, none more presentable than that which fell to Kieran Richardson in the closing minutes of the extra period.

Having burst clean through, the former Manchester United midfielder should have scored but hammered his shot straight into the chest of Guzan.

The match started slowly before coming to its dramatic climax.

England international Emile Heskey, who recently voiced his concern that a lack of first-team opportunities may hamper his World Cup ambitions, almost marked his first start in two months with a second-minute opener.

Gabriel Agbonlahor escaped down the right and his low cross was cleverly flicked towards goal by Heskey, only for the ball to narrowly miss the far post.

After that early scare, Sunderland slowly warmed to their task with Fraizer Campbell excelling in an unfamiliar right-wing role.

The former Manchester United trainee, who gave Stephen Warnock a torrid evening with his pace and trickery, almost provided Jones with the opener after 25 minutes.

Having beaten Warnock for the umpteenth time, his curling cross appeared destined to reach Jones six yards out only for Richard Dunne to divert the ball clear with a glancing header.

Another Sunderland youngster, Jordan Henderson, was also making a significant impression.

The local lad came close with a low drive from the edge of the area before he saw what appeared a legitimate claim for a penalty turned away by referee Phil Dowd after he went down under a challenge from Warnock.

Henderson saved his best effort of the opening 45 minutes for just before the break, though, a fierce volley from the edge of the area producing a wonderful save from Guzan.

Villa improved at the start of the second period with James Milner finally making an impact.

Milner, booed by the home crowd as a former Newcastle player, almost created the opening goal shortly after the restart with a powerful surge down the right but his low driven cross was inches ahead of Heskey in the middle.

Sunderland, and Henderson in particular, still looked dangerous going forward and his clever curling shot after good work from Jones flashed agonisingly wide after 56 minutes.

Villa responded with another Milner cross which Ashley Young nodded wide.

Milner was then denied by a wonderful last-ditch tackle from Michael Turner as Villa again threatened on the break.

Bruce replaced the ineffective Daryl Murphy with Andy Reid to loud applause from the home crowd but the move failed to stem the tide as Villa carved out the first clear-cut opening of the night after 76 minutes.

Milner was again the architect with a through ball which put Agbonlahor in the clear but his shot was straight at the chest of the advancing Gordon.

Sunderland were handed the chance to make the breakthrough after 83 minutes when Carlos Cuellar was harshly adjudged to have handled Reid's cross but Jones' low spot-kick was weak and Guzan saved with ease down to his left.

Sunderland cranked up the pressure in the second period of extra time although a succession of crosses into the Villa box were dealt with by the impressive James Collins and Dunne.

There was almost a late twist in the tale but Richardson passed up a golden chance to win it with time almost up.

Having dispossessed the hapless Warnock on the halfway line, the midfielder ran fully 50 yards but, with no Villa defender in sight, he could only fire his shot straight at Guzan.

And with Reid, Lorik Cana and Henderson all missing in the shoot-out, there was no way back for Sunderland.