Marco Asensio’s brace made sure Aston Villa came from behind the beat Chelsea 2-1 and smash their top four whope, MySportDab reports.
The home side secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Blues at Villa Park in what was another poor one from Enzo Maresca side.
The match was marked by strategic substitutions, individual brilliance, and a last-minute goal that sealed the outcome.
Full Match Report
Chelsea began the match assertively, breaking the deadlock in the early minutes. Midfielder Moisés Caicedo delivered a precise long pass from midfield to Pedro Neto on the right wing.
Neto skillfully maneuvered past his defender and sent a low cross into the box, where Enzo Fernández was perfectly positioned to tap the ball into the net, giving Chelsea a 1-0 lead.
Despite Chelsea’s early dominance, Aston Villa remained resilient pushing for a leveler which saw them coming close.
The turning point came at the start of the second half when manager Unai Emery introduced Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, into the fray.
Rashford’s presence immediately injected energy into Villa’s attack who pressed more and looked very dangerous.
Ten minutes into the half, Rashford delivered a precise assist to Marco Asensio, who calmly slotted the ball past Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Filip Jorgensen, leveling the score at 1-1.
The match intensified as both teams sought a decisive goal. Chelsea had opportunities to regain the lead but were unable to capitalize.
As the game approached its conclusion, a critical error occurred. In the 90th minute, Chelsea’s goalkeeper Jorgensen mishandled a routine play, allowing Rashford to seize the ball.
He swiftly set up Asensio, who found the back of the net for his second goal of the match, securing a 2-1 advantage for Aston Villa.
The combination of Rashford’s impactful substitution and Asensio’s clinical finishing proved decisive.
Chelsea’s struggles continued, particularly with maintaining leads and defensive lapses, as evidenced by Jorgensen’s costly mistake.
The loss added to Chelsea’s challenges, as they have been grappling with injuries and a lack of away victories since December.
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