Aston Villa survive late scare to edge Sunderland in seven-goal thriller

[p]Though completing a 7-1 aggregate win over Bologna in midweek increased hopes of UCL qualification through the UEFA Europa League (UEL), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Villa[/a] were keen to consolidate their top-five status in the league, and duly edged in front with less than two minutes on the clock.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcginn-john/rgGnzD2e/"]John McGinn[/a] ran onto a Matty Cash ball and lifted a delicate cross from the byline over to the far post, where [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/watkins-ollie/rHnOkDD8/"]Ollie Watkins[/a] was waiting to nod in from a yard out.[/p][p]But [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sunderland/WSzc94ws/"]Sunderland[/a]’s own European push was still on the cards, and they were back level inside 10 minutes when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sadiki-noah/UJnCIUV6/"]Noah Sadiki[/a] laid it off for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rigg-chris/lUGYPTIg/"]Chris Rigg[/a] to curl a perfect left-footed finish beyond [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-emiliano/ziCcc5jM/"]Emiliano Martínez[/a].[/p][p]The 18-year-old’s first PL strike also made him Sunderland’s third-youngest ever PL scorer, but it didn’t do much to change the momentum.[/p][p]The hosts soon hit the bar through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/onana-amadou/roId3gPf/"]Amadou Onana[/a], before a lull in play led to Villa reclaiming the lead.[/p][p]It came from a similar situation to their first, though this time [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maatsen-ian/nPiZrgf3/"]Ian Maatsen[/a]’s cross from the left was whipped across the face with power for Watkins to divert into the empty net.[/p][image alt="Momentum" id="d5e0bd15-2f59-46b0-8d3a-f88f7d1c9c8f" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="164596a7-fb89-46c4-877d-4425d6aa69eb" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]A strong end to the first half from Sunderland brought promise of another leveller, but Villa channelled the same energy to net again moments into the second half.[/p][p]McGinn regained possession and initiated a silky passing move, with Watkins slotting [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rogers-morgan/lp4jm80n/"]Morgan Rogers[/a] through for the England international to place into the far bottom corner.[/p][p]Villa looked to extend their lead through numerous counterattacks from there, but they were totally unprepared for a late rally from their opponents.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hume-trai/CfLIw4XG/"]Trai Hume[/a] pulled one back by thieving it off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sancho-jadon/n5mG9yn6/"]Jadon Sancho[/a], advancing towards goal and firing into the far top corner from a tight angle.[/p][p]Then, just moments later, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/le-fee-enzo/hC5yfF2A/"]Enzo Le Fee[/a]’s ball sent [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/isidor-wilson/veOg2tx3/"]Wilson Isidor[/a] flying through, and the Haitian took advantage of a slip from Martínez to find the near post and send the away end into bedlam.[/p][p]But there was to be one final twist in favour of the hosts, and a thrilling encounter was complete when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/digne-lucas/v9Ux4sua/"]Lucas Digne[/a]’s whipped cross was met with a delicate touch by fellow substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/abraham-tammy/OYhxyduf/"]Tammy Abraham[/a] to help it past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/roefs-robin/Ao7TtUZn/"]Robin Roefs[/a].[/p][p]Despite taking nothing away from this game, Sunderland are still just two points from sixth place, while Aston Villa now have a bit of breathing room to shift some focus to the remainder of their UEL campaign.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="be92913d-e5b5-4383-a014-866437de739b" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="3c716d6c-fbc1-418d-85c1-3bba1d0e4ca3" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/watkins-ollie/rHnOkDD8/"]Ollie Watkins[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Aston Villa[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aston-villa-W00wmLO0/sunderland-WSzc94ws/?mid=xzTRt95l"]Get all the match stats here with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]