Villa progress on penalties

Wed, 28 Oct 15:03:58 2009

Aston Villa advanced through to the Carling Cup fifth round after beating Sunderland 3-1 on penalties at the Stadium of Light.

Kenwyne Jones saw his weak penalty saved by Brad Guzan five minutes from the end of normal time and, after extra-time also finished goalless, Sunderland's woes from the spot continued.

Andy Reid, Lorik Cana and Jordan Henderson all failed to convert to leave Ashley Young to score the decisive penalty.

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.

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 with another Sunderland youngster, Jordan Henderson, 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 Stephen Warnock.

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

 

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  1. Cameron ,Cameron, How can you say "Its all­ relative" You are in a league that is a massive­ leap from the quality of the EPL. Even you must admit­ that, therfore , as closet Mackem you seem to be­ jealous of our start to the season.
    Yes, we are having­ a "blip" at the moment, as was Man UTd and­ Liverpool,and as infact ,your team were, when you were­ beaten at Forrest and Scunthorpe.
    The difference­ between us is we have a stable board and Chairman, We­ have a proven Manager with a good track record. He has­ brought in quality players to the team which has­ benifitted us immensely.
    Unfortunately, the same cannot­ be said for your team and its squad of depleted players­ who will struggle as the season progresses and the cup­ and league games increase or injuries take an effect on­ the position you find yourselves in at the moment.
    With­ the announcement made yesterday, the plans for your­ ground and its name are only set to anger the fans and­ turn them further against the management team.
    I speak­ from experience, we have been there with Cowie,Mc­ Menemmy, Murray and co. and been to the depths of­ despair and back. This is why we now believe in our­ chairman and board because he hahs the interest of the­ fans and club at heart, If this is arrogance ,then i­ thank god for making me arrogant. I would call it­ Confidence and trust.

    From MALCOLM D, on Thu 29 Oct 6:50PM

  2. what a goal keeper well play and safe astonvilla­ goalkeeper they deserve to win the game

    From rully nelson, on Thu 29 Oct 12:28AM

  3. JoJo, you are being silly now.
    MD, we are top of our­ league, albeit a lesser one; but it's all relative­ if you know what i mean - so pray tell, why on earth­ would i possibly be jealous of your start to the­ season!

    From cameron w, on Wed 28 Oct 8:30PM

  4. isnt Football a funnyold game??when fans know that it­ is not going to be their night. Cameron, if you saw how­ good the keeper was for villa you would be screaming­ for your board to buy him. as for me shouting about­ sign this one sign that one, well I make no bones that­ I am not a C Gordon fan and never will be. Guzan was­ superb and deserved all his praise from everyone SAFC­ fans included. he did what all goalkeepers are supposed­ to do and thats watch the ball and not the player,­ thats why he saved so many penalties and stopped all­ the shots that came in especially hendersons rocket.
    I­ think your chioce of wroding was alittle wrong as you­ should have said confidnce and not arrogance. Deep down­ I know you are really a bit jealous of our start to the­ season and how well we are doing in the league, and­ that you are worried about your clubs predicament with­ the Ashley regime in charge maybe they will name your­ ground SESEME STREET PARK cos its full of Muppets.

    From MALCOLM D, on Wed 28 Oct 7:47PM

  5. Hey Cameron ...check all of my posts...I've got no­ arrogance. I know that we will never compete with the­ 'top four soon to become top six brigade' and­ we will hover around the top fifteen for years if we­ are lucky. But then again , we don't have the­ prospect of Ashtray's twenty million, the Netto­ Arena and Chris Hughton...we are indeed blessed.

    From JojO, on Wed 28 Oct 6:27PM

  6. So bar-code squad is worse than Peterboro's ANY­ squad....don't Manure play their reserves­ regularly? See? That what being a top teams all­ about...I've now decided the garden shed should be­ called the 'Cole Hole' as Cheryl might buy the­ place from Ashcan....HEY! She might bring her Ashcan­ with her and then you'll have a decent player....

    From JojO, on Wed 28 Oct 6:24PM

  7. JoJo
    Posh dumped our youth team out as well you know;­ we had ONE regular playing in that game so do not even­ begin to twist FACTS.
    Penalties or not, erm WHO WON -­ as i fully expected, Villa won (pretty dreadful turnout­ for a Last-16 game btw)!!!!
    I do not for one second­ deny that we have been arrogant over the years (but­ finishing runners up twice, and Top-5 a few more times­ tends to give you the right to do that) - anyway, what­ on earth has that got to do with this! My argument­ concerns YOUR arrogance ('your' as in safc fans­ in general!). My 'know your place' to MD was­ lighthearted so why get on your high moral horse -­ getting worried already are we!
    Downy
    now, now lad!

    From cameron w, on Wed 28 Oct 6:06PM

  8. cameron w(anker) you're a buffoon!!
    FTM

    From downy100, on Wed 28 Oct 5:18PM

  9. By the way, how arrogant is someone who tells someone­ else to 'remember thair place' . Hope you­ doffed your cap, Malcolm!

    From JojO, on Wed 28 Oct 5:05PM

  10. Soz Cameron but your 'I fully expected Villa..'­ rant doesn't hold water as they won on pens, which­ as we all know is a lottery, nothing to do with where­ the team is in the league. If league postion had­ anything to do with it, how come Posh dumped your lot? ­ Bet you don't answer that one. As for arrogance,­ don't go there as your mob believe they have the­ God-given right to the Holy Grail. Over the past year­ you and others OYI have blown on and on about how good­ the City is, how you have the biggest crowds, best­ players, most loyal fanbase....Now: let's think of­ a decent sponsor for your shed...Shepherd Hall­ International Trading....let's shorten that, eh?

    From JojO, on Wed 28 Oct 5:03PM

  11. Malcolm, who do you think you are; 'you' as in­ safc by the way!
    Remember your place and stop getting­ carried away man!
    Just because you have spent a few­ quid does not make you a top side; i fully expected­ Villa to dump you out and so it proved.
    Why?
    Simply­ because they are an established Top-6 side, with a team­ filled with internationals (proper­ internationals!).
    Reading last night's Chronicle,­ every one of the safc pundits and the resident hack had­ safc down for a home win - why man!
    Go sign this one,­ go sign that one; it is extra-ordinary­ arrogance!
    ps
    you were never gonna win this anyway, one­ of the usual suspects will . . . as always - yawn!

    From cameron w, on Wed 28 Oct 11:58AM

  12. comments 10 and 11. It was collins who got the yellow­ at the end. petrov got a yellow in the first half

    From Stench, on Wed 28 Oct 11:39AM

  13. the cuellar 'hand ball' never was.

    From Stench, on Wed 28 Oct 11:36AM

  14. I thought he was given one for dissent in the first­ half and then another for a tackle near the end of 90­ mins, or did the commentators just get the last booking­ wrong?

    From alec.foots, on Wed 28 Oct 9:52AM

  15. wasn't petrov given 2 yellow cards? I listened to­ commentry and just wondered if anyone can clear this­ up?

    From alec.foots, on Wed 28 Oct 9:38AM

  16. thats why bent is our penalty taker!!!

    From uncle_al_safc, on Wed 28 Oct 9:32AM

  17. I hope Steve Bruce puts a bid in for this Guzan guy ,­ as a keeper his performance last night was brilliant ,­ Certainly showed Gordon as a second rate shot stopper.
    ­ Why is he second choice in Aston Villa teaam?????
    Our­ team need some drastic lessons in taking penalties, far­ too laxidasical an not professional enough. Jordan­ Hendeson was good again and can only get better (apart­ from the pen miss.)

    From MALCOLM D, on Wed 28 Oct 8:49AM

  18. I hope Steve Bruce puts a bid in for this Guzan guy ,­ as a keeper his performance last night was brilliant ,­ Certainly showed Gordon as a second rate shot stopper.
    ­ Why is he second choice in Aston Villa teaam?????
    Our­ team need some drastic lessons in taking penalties, far­ too laxidasical an not professional enough. Jordan­ Hendeson was good again and can only get better (apart­ from the pen miss.)

    From MALCOLM D, on Wed 28 Oct 8:49AM

  19. Richardson need a lesson in how to score goals. The­ goal is that thing with white posts and a net, and you­ score a goal by putting the ball between the white­ posts and into the net .

    From Bonzo Dog, on Wed 28 Oct 8:17AM

  20. @ steve

    america! home of the best crop of keepers.­ rest of the squad is @#$%. he's polish in heritage­ i believe.

    From Mike N, on Wed 28 Oct 6:11AM
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