AN ASTON VILLA side managed by lifelong fan Dean Smith ended their three-year exile from the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Derby County in the Championship playoff final at Wembley.
A year after losing in the playoff final to Fulham, Villa were celebrating a return to English football’s lucrative top-flight that will be worth at least £170 million and as much as £200m to the Birmingham club.
Anwar El Ghazi put Villa ahead with a header on the stroke of half-time before John McGinn capitalised on a goalkeeping error to score Villa’s second just shy of the hour mark.
Derby substitute Jack Marriott ensured a nervous finish for Villa with a goal nine minutes from time but it could not prevent County losing in the play-offs for the fourth time in six seasons.
Rams boss Frank Lampard, in his first season as a manager, recalled former Chelsea and England team-mate Ashley Cole and Tom Huddlestone into his starting side.
Cole replaced suspended Scott Malone at left-back, while midfielder Huddlestone took over from Duane Holmes, injured in the semi-final victory over Leeds.
Villa manager Smith, made one unenforced change by bringing in winger Albert Adomah instead of Andre Green, who dropped down to the bench. Cork native Conor Hourihane was name din midfielder ahead of fellows Irish international Glenn Whelan, who had to settle for a place on the bench.
Smith’s men, who had already put seven goals past Derby without reply in two regular season league meetings this season, were much the better side for the first half.
And their dominance was duly rewarded a minute before the interval when a precise cross by Egypt’s Ahmed Elmohamady evaded the Derby defence and allowed Netherlands Under-21 international El Ghazi, who had lost his marker, to run in at the far post and score with a stooping header.
Breakthrough 👊
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 27, 2019
El Ghazi gets in at the back post to head @AVFCOfficial ahead just before half time
📺 Watch the @SkyBetChamp play-off final live on Sky Sports Football or follow here: https://t.co/iVFr84lxFn pic.twitter.com/WRwjN1cX2N
Villa doubled their lead in the 59th minute.
El Ghazi’s shot was deflected high into the air and Derby goalkeeper Kelle Roos, who waited for the ball to drop so he could complete a catch instead of attempting a punch, was left floundering as McGinn steered the ball into the net.
More goalkeeping Wembley woes!
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 27, 2019
Kelle Roos will not want to see this again as his howler allows John McGinn to double @AVFCOfficial's lead.
📺 Watch the @SkyBetChamp play-off final live on Sky Sports Football or follow here: https://t.co/iVFr84lxFn pic.twitter.com/nlCZgVzrRK
But at 2-0 down, a desperate Derby raised their game and pulled a goal back nine minutes from time.
Florian Jozefzoon’s cross was nodded back in by Jayden Bogle, and substitute Marriott rolled a shot into the far corner, although Martyn Waghorn may have got the very last touch.
Game on!
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 27, 2019
Marriott the super sub again for Derby and the Rams have ten minutes to get back on level terms
📺 Watch the @SkyBetChamp play-off final live on Sky Sports Football or follow here: https://t.co/iVFr84lxFn pic.twitter.com/N5alAFwimx
Injuries and stoppages meant Villa, the 1982 European champions, had to come through seven minutes of additional time.
But they held their nerve to join Norwich City and Sheffield United in next season’s Premier League.
https://www.facebook.com/SkySports/videos/2194244943998546/
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
