A Lot Was At Stake For Aston Villa
Aston Villa started the year brilliantly and took the momentum through the mid-season too, but of late, with poor results and a string of losses, it appeared as if the Villans had gone over the boil. A lot was at stake as Aston Villa hosted Nottingham Forest at Villa Park in the 2nd leg of the Europa League semifinal, trailing by a goal.
Nottingham Forest On An Upswing
Nottingham Forest, the Tricky Trees with their fourth Manager this season, had had a turbulent year, falling from the highs of last season to the lows of the present. But Vitor Pereira came as a blessing, and since then, Nottingham have stitched a string of good results.
The Tricky Trees Had Not Lost Since 15th March
They had not lost a game since 15th March, with their latest win against Chelsea reigniting the successful memories of the past. With the Premier League status safe, Nottingham travelled to Birmingham, a confident side, leading by a goal.
But Unai Emery, the master strategist, was not to be taken lightly
Unai Emery is no slouch, but a master strategist, and he made The Tricky Trees pay for a bit of overconfidence. Aston Villa were no Pushovers at home, and they showed why they are amongst the top 6 in the Premier League.
Aston Villa Stepped Up A Gear & Dominated
Aston Villa dominated proceedings. Held the ball and moved seamlessly over the turf with Nottingham getting pushed into their own half. The Villans were more enterprising, and their constant siege on the Nottingham box paid dividends.
Ollie Watkins, Buendia & McGinn Score for Villa
Ollie Watkins scored in the 36th minute, while Buendia’s penalty conversion made it 2-0 and finally, a cool brace from John McGinn wrapped up the match for Aston Villa, with a comfortable 4-1 aggregate.
The Tricky Trees Were Pushed Back For Good
The Villans had 10 shots on goal while Nottingham could manage only 2. The hosts had completely shut down the Tricky Trees in a brilliant strategic game at Villa Park.
Villans Face Freiburg In The Final…
Villans will face Germany’s FC Freiburg, who marched over SC Braga from Portugal with a 4-3 aggregate, turning the tables on the Portuguese with a splendid 3-1 win at the Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg.
… At The Tupras Stadium In Istanbul
It has to be said that Aston Villa will start as favourites in the Final to be played at the Tupras Stadium in Istanbul on the night of 20th May. The winner gets a direct ticket to the UEFA Champions League next season.
The Villans just tricked the Tricky Tress.
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