Aston Villa vs QPR Match Report

Aston Villa vs QPR Match Report

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Guzan 6; Bacuna 6, Vlaar 5.5, Clark 6, Richardson 6; Cleverley 6.5, Sanchez 6.5, Delph 7, Grealish 6.5; Agbonlahor 7.5, Benteke 8

QPR (4-4-2): Green 6.5; Isla 6 (Traore 52, 5), Caulker 5.5, Onuoha 5, Hill 6.5; Phillips 7, Barton 6, Sandro 6, Kranjcar 5 (Henry 52, 5); Austin 5, Zamora 6.5

Aston Villa and QPR play out an enthralling draw at Villa Park as a Christian Benteke hat-trick earns them a point against fellow relegation battlers. Matt Phillips again shone for the Hoops as he assisted once and scored a goal for the visitors.

Matt Phillips opened the scoring for the visitors as headed the ball home from close range on Bobby Zamora’s cross. The goal stunned the Villans as they were caught completely off guard by the R’s. But this lead lasted only for three minutes as Christian Benteke turned on the power as he drilled the ball past Rob Green from edge of the box. The battle lines had been drawn with this goal and both teams were not in the mood to give even an inch to each other.

Soon, Benteke struck again in the 33^rd minute as Villa took the lead and went with that lead into the first half. But this lead lasted just for 10 minutes into the half as Clint Hill became the unlikely scorer for the visitors. QPR drew level and looked like a completely transformed side in the second half.

Chris Ramsey’s boys took the game by the scruff of its neck as Charlie Austin scored a dramatic goal in the 78^th minute, which seemed like a late winner for the Londoners. But Villa’s own hero responded with what was his third goal of the evening in the 83^rd minute as Benteke again threw the match in the balance.

The draw changes nothing for both the sides as far as the relegation battle is concerned and Tim Sherwood has a lot on his platter to attend if Villa hope to survive the drop.