Aston Villa marked their 150th anniversary in spectacular fashion on Friday night, overturning a first-half deficit to defeat West Ham United 2-1 in a thrilling FA Cup third-round clash at Villa Park.
Graham Potter, newly appointed as West Ham manager just a day prior following the sacking of Julen Lopetegui, looked set for a dream debut. West Ham took an early lead when Lucas Paqueta fired a shot into the net, allowing the visitors to carry a 1-0 advantage into the halftime break.
However, the evening belonged to Aston Villa. After a subdued first hour with no shots on target, the hosts ignited their performance in the second half. In the 71st minute, Andre Onana capitalized on a contentious corner to equalize for Villa. Just five minutes later, Morgan Rogers completed the comeback, finishing off a superb move orchestrated by Ollie Watkins, who provided a skillful assist for the near-post strike.
Jacob Ramsey nearly extended the lead, hitting the post as Aston Villa dominated the closing stages of the match. The victory not only celebrated the club’s historic milestone but also demonstrated their resilience and attacking prowess.
Despite the loss, Graham Potter can find positives in his first game in charge of West Ham. The team showed promise early on but were hampered by hamstring injuries to Niclas Fullkrug and Crysencio Summerville, which disrupted their momentum.
The result sends Aston Villa into the next round of the FA Cup, buoyed by a memorable night that will be cherished by fans and players alike.
Reference(s):
Aston Villa stun West Ham 2-1 after second-half comeback in FA Cup
cgtn.com
