Villa 2 Rapid Vienna 1 – Verdict

Thursday 27th August 2009, 10:00PM BST.

7749598Villa are out of the Europa League on the away goals rule after Nikica Jelavic’s late strike leveled the tie 2-2 in Rapid Vienna’s favour.

It could have different if Ashley Young had not missed a penalty he won in the first-half, although the winger did win another before half-time, which James Milner took and buried.

John Carew’s low strike put Villa ahead for the first time in the tie eight minutes into the second-half, but the claret and blues took their foot completely off the gas after that.

It did not go unpunished, with Jelavic having already been denied once by goalkeeper Brad Guzan before he broke home hearts with 15 minutes to go.

Fabian Delph and Emile Heskey both went close after but time ran out and, even after winning the match, European silverware eludes Villa for another season.


  1. 1
    Chris (Villa fan)

    Can someone tell me what Petrov offers the team because I just cant see it.

    When we play 4-4-2 everybody finds us so easy to play against because he just plods around allowing opposing midfielders to run off him and outnumber our defenders. He can pass a ball but usually he takes so much time looking round for a pass that he is soon under pressure and forced to go backwards or sideways

    Even when he had Gareth Barry alongside him our centre midfield in a 4-4-2 were always second best.

    Now that MON has made Petrov captain (what a strange choice)it looks like its going to be him and A Nother in every game. Talk about top 4? he would not get in the squad of any top four side let alone be made captain of the team.

    Report abuse

  2. 2
    kevw

    your out though luck last season your manager basically dropped out of the competition what goes around comes around.

    Report abuse

  3. 3
    daz (A.V.F.C)

    again u have to question o’neill’s line up your 1-0 down from the 1st leg and need 2 goals to go threw without letting in an away goal so what does o’neill do leave friedel out in goal,leave sidwell and reo-coker out in midfield and leave gabby out upfront all played well at anfield and he cant say about being tired its only our 4th game of the season we played most of last season playing a 4-5-1 and went 13 games unbeaten we brought donkey heskey in january and went to a 4-4-2 and couldnt win a game we switched back to a 4-5-1 at liverpool and played well again what can i say

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