- Ajax and Aston Villa produced a goalless draw once they met on Thursday evening
- Each groups had gamers despatched off late into the conflict on the Johan Cruyff Area
- CHRIS SUTTON and IAN LADYMAN give their title predictions (lastly!) – It is All Kicking Off podcast
Jordan Henderson saved alive his probabilities of including a ninth main trophy to his assortment with a formidable show as his Ajax aspect held 10-man Aston Villa.
Although Villa might be favourites to progress to the quarter-finals of the Europa Convention League after the second leg in Birmingham subsequent week, Henderson confirmed all his expertise of European competitors to drive this younger aspect on.
Continuously encouraging and marshalling his colleagues, Henderson confirmed his nonetheless has the mettle to chop it at this degree and did his probabilities of retaining his spot within the England squad this month no hurt in any respect. However Villa boss Unai Emery will even be glad with the consequence, if not the efficiency.
With one eye on Sunday’s enormous Premier League conflict with Tottenham, Emery held again Leon Bailey and John McGinn till halfway by the second half, with each sure starters towards Spurs. Villa defender Ezri Konsa was despatched off together with Ajax’s Tristan Gooijer as referee Enea Jorgji had a poor sport.
This crew doesn’t have the category of some Ajax sides of the previous however within the first half they’d the measure of Villa.
![Ajax and Aston Villa produced a goalless draw when they met in Europe on Thursday night](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/07/19/82178293-13170463-image-a-2_1709840235704.jpg)
Ajax and Aston Villa produced a goalless draw once they met in Europe on Thursday evening
![Both teams ended the match with 10-men after Ezri Konsa and Tristan Gooijer were sent off](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/07/19/82178297-13170463-image-a-1_1709840232771.jpg)
Each groups ended the match with 10-men after Ezri Konsa and Tristan Gooijer have been despatched off
![Jordan Henderson (middle) kept up his chances of adding a ninth major trophy to his collection](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/07/19/82178261-13170463-image-a-3_1709840253695.jpg)
Jordan Henderson (center) saved up his probabilities of including a ninth main trophy to his assortment
Your browser doesn’t help iframes.
Moussa Diaby had a weak shot saved comfortably within the fifth minute and that was nearly as good because it received for Emery’s males earlier than the break, as Ajax contained them with relative ease.
Had the house aspect’s attackers timed their runs higher, they might have induced Villa extra issues on the different finish. As an alternative, all they needed to present for his or her efforts have been a Henderson free-kick from 25 yards that didn’t hassle Emi Martinez, and a poor close-range end from Brian Brobbey after he sprinted on to Jorrel Hato’s go.
It had been a colorless first half and neither aspect may choose up the tempo early within the second. Martinez misplaced focus and handed the ball out of play for an avoidable nook, which Ajax couldn’t make rely. And the Argentine got here to his crew’s rescue quickly afterwards when he reduce out Kenneth Taylor’s low cross with Kristian Hylnsson closing in.
Taylor squandered Ajax’s second clear alternative halfway by the second half when Borna Sosa picked out his late run into the field and the Holland worldwide pressured a pointy save from Martinez.
![Villa will be full of confidence as they prepare for the second-leg to be held at Villa Park](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/07/19/82178369-13170463-image-a-18_1709840488839.jpg)
Villa might be stuffed with confidence as they put together for the second-leg to be held at Villa Park
By now McGinn and Bailey have been on for Villa and Bailey was immediately extra menacing than Diaby had been as he tricked his approach into the field and drew a terrific block from Hato.
With time ticking away, Ezri Konsa was proven a second yellow card when he hauled down substitute Chuba Akpom – the previous Middlesbrough man – and can now miss the second leg. From the free-kick, Akpom headed again into the hazard zone however Brobbey fluffed his tried overhead.
It was quickly 10 towards 10 when Tristian Gooijer was given a really harsh second reserving for a tug on substitute Nicolo Zaniolo contained in the Villa half. Then in stoppage time Bailey’s volley was fantastically blocked by Ahmetcan Kaplan.
Source link