ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP Sunderland 0 Aston Villa 0( AET Aston Villa won 3-1 on penalties): ASTON VILLA goalkeeper Brad Guzan saved three spot-kicks to help his side to a 3-1 penalty shoot-out win after a goalless 90 minutes at the Stadium of Light.
Kieran Richardson had a g chance to seal victory in extra-time for the home side but Guzan again rescued the visitors.
Andy Reid, Lorik Cana and Jordan Henderson were off-target for Sunderland in the shoot-out, with Ashley Young scoring the decisive goal for Villa.
Kenwyne Jones missed a penalty late in the second half to send this tie into extra time following an opening 90 minutes which will be remembered largely for a splendid individual performance from Sunderland’s young midfielder Jordan Henderson produced few clearcut chances, thereby prompting an extra half hour both Steve Bruce and Martin O’Neill had hoped to avoid.
League Cup ties are often occasions for experimentation and Steve Bruce used this to road test a new look, initially unconvincing, 4-3-2-1 formation featuring Fraizer Campbell and Daryl Murphy supporting Jones in attack.
Martin O’Neill handed out-of-favour Nigel Reo-Coker and Emile Heskey chances to emerge from the respective clouds which have blighted their progress this season. Both were swiftly involved.
Heskey shot disappointingly wide from the edge of the area and Reo-Coker winning a free kick after being fouled by George McCartney from which James Collins headed James Milner’s dead ball off target.
Although Sunderland’s Jordan Henderson sent a drive narrowly wide at a moment when Brad Guzan, Villa’s keeper for the night, appeared wrong-footed, Bruce’s side were struggling to get to grips with Milner.
The home side – clearly missing the injured Lee Cattermole and Darren Bent – felt aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty when Richard Dunne sent the on-rushing Henderson crashing in the box.
Somewhat controversially, Phil Dowd was not buying it but at least the teenaged Henderson had once again emphasised his refreshing, opponent destabilising, ability to burst late into the box.
Admittedly he lost Milner at times but, overall, Henderson proved the evening’s brightest player, his fierce volley 18-yard followed Lorik Cana’s cross and Dunne’s hashed clearance prompted a splendid reflex save from Guzan on the stroke of half time.
Small wonder Bruce was so keen to tie the young midfielder to a new four-year contract earlier this month.
Suitably inspired Sunderland dedicated much of the second period to pouring forward but at times succeeded in playing into Villa’s counter-attacking hands.
Pacey on the break, O’Neill’s side began catching Bruce’s backline cold and Villa’s manager had his head in his hands when both the advancing Heskey and Gabriel Agbonlahor proved unequal to Milner’s inviting low cross.
Henderson, whose passing was improving almost by the minute, very nearly squeezed a clever chip inside an upright after connecting with Jones’s flick on but the game was drifting ominously towards the extra-time neither side wanted.
Sunderland should have won it when Carlos Cuellar handled substitute Reid’s attempted chip just inside the box but Jones’s blasted penalty was struck straight at Guzan, prefacing a simple save.
It perhaps explains why Bruce says he can never bear to watch his players take penalties – and why O’Neill had taken the precaution of booking Villa into a north-east hotel last night rather than making the long trip back to Birmingham.
Guardian Service
SUNDERLAND: Gordon, Da Silva, Turner, Nosworthy, McCartney (Ferdinand 78), Henderson, Cana, Richardson, Murphy (Andy Reid 73), Jones, Campbell (Malbranque 95). Subs not used: Fulop, Healy, Meyler, Adam Reid. Booked: Henderson, Ferdinand.
ASTON VILLA: Guzan, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Milner, Reo-Coker (Delph 91), Petrov (Sidwell 115), Ashley Young, Agbonlahor, Heskey (Carew 77). Subs not used: Friedel, Luke Young, Shorey, Beye. Booked: Warnock, Petrov, Collins.
Referee: Phil Dowd(Staffordshire).
