Sunderland 0 (1) - (3) 0 Aston Villa: Black Cats Pay Penalty As Villa Advance

CC: Gabriel Agbonlahor - Michael Turner, Sunderland - Aston Villa (Getty Images)

A gritty match at the Stadium of Light saw Aston Villa sneak through to the quarter finals with a penalty shootout victory over Sunderland.

A first half of poor quality was barely bettered in the second forty-five minutes as both sides failed to take control of the fixture.

Kenwyne Jones had the chance to win the game for Sunderland in the eighty-third minute but had his penalty saved by Brad Guzan.

After a goalless extra-time, Ashley Young scored the decisive penalty to send Villa into the quarter finals.

A tense first half saw both teams trying to feel out their opposition with neither able to get a solid foot on the ball.

The opening forty-five minutes saw the two sides produce just two shots on target and no less than fourteen fouls between them.

Emille Heskey and James Collins both had efforts in the opening ten minutes for the visitors but neither man was able to get their attempt on target.

Jordan Henderson, the only man able to hit the target in the first half, had the best attempt of the half when he forced Brad Guzan into a good save with his effort from twenty yards.

The second half started in much the same way as the first with the referee involved as much as any of the twenty-two players on the pitch.

James Milner became the next player to launch an attack on goal but his speculative effort flew high over Craig Gordon’s crossbar.

It was Milner who broke down Sunderland’s defenses once again on the hour mark when he dug out a cross for Ashley Young but the Villa winger was unable to direct his twelve yard header on target.

The poor quality of the football on show was something of an anomaly as these two top-half Premier League sides were fully committed to the fixture.

The match had a continuous midfield battle as both teams battled for supremacy in the match but the inability to show any quality in the final third looked set to stop either side from getting a goal.

With just seven minutes left in the game the chance fell to Kenwyne Jones to put the home side in front from the penalty spot.

Carlos Cuellar raised hands connected with the ball and the referee signaled for the penalty, however the striker couldn’t convert from twelve yards as Brad Guzan got down to his left to comfortably save the weak spot kick.

With both sides looking for a winning goal the game became stretched and chances started to emerge more frequently.

With just sixty seconds of regulation time left in the game Kenwyne Jones rose highest in the box to get a headed effort on target but Guzan was alert to collect the ball comfortably.

Despite a frantic pace in the final ten minutes of the game neither side were able to produce any real quality in the final third of the pitch and Kenwyne Jones’ missed penalty condemned the sides to play an extra half hour.

Extra time continued much in the same fashion as the first ninety minutes with both sides restricted to shots from outside the area. Milner and Young both shot wide of the target for Villa before Henderson had an effort from distance for the black cats.

With just three minutes left of the game Richardson pounced on a loose ball twelve yards out and produced a fine save from Guzan to force the game to penalties.

Sunderland missed their opening two penalties as first Andy Reid and then Lorik Cana had their spot-kicks saved by Guzan.

After Jordan Henderson missed Sunderland’s fourth penalty, the chance to win the game fell to Ashley Young who duly converted his spot kick to send Villa to the quarter finals.

David Kifford, Goal.com

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