Football
2019-20 English Premier League
AVL 
2
FT
 WAT
1
Reuters 4y

Aston Villa stoppage-time winner dumps Watford back in relegation zone

Aston Villa scored with almost the last kick of the game to seal a 2-1 comeback win over Watford at Villa Park on Tuesday that lifted Dean Smith's men out of the Premier League relegation zone -- and dumped Nigel Pearson's men back in it.

Watford opened the scoring in the 38th minute when Gerard Deulofeu dashed towards the goal line, spun to his left and chipped the ball over towards Troy Deeney who headed powerfully past Villa goalkeeper Pepe Reina from close range.

Villa pulled themselves back into the game in the 68th minute when Watford keeper Ben Foster parried a Matt Targett shot from a tight angle back across the goal and into the path of substitute Douglas Luiz who blasted the ball into the net.

With the game tied, the Birmingham side had been set to drop a place to 19th in the table while Watford would have climbed to 16th.

But after a goalmouth scramble in the 95th minute, the ball fell to the feet of Ezri Konsa who struck a fierce shot which took a deflection off teammate Tyrone Mings and sailed in to give the hosts what could be a pivotal victory in their bid to stay up.

"The lads showed plenty of endeavour, kept pushing and got the result tonight. It's a big win, we know there are big games to come and every game is tough," Smith told the BBC.

"It does give the players a lot of belief."

The home side, playing without a recognised striker for the fourth straight match due to injuries to Wesley Moraes and Keinan Davis, dominated possession and kept pushing forward, with Jack Grealish in particular looking lively.

Despite decent chances for both sides, the game had been looking set to end all square until Reina launched the ball up the field for a final Villa push that led to Konsa's shot.

The 22-year-old defender appeared to have scored his first ever goal for Villa, but due to the heavy deflection off Mings the goal instead was attributed to his England international team mate.

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