- Villa back in Premier League for first time since 2015-16
- El Ghazi involved in both Villa goals
- Marriott strikes late for Frank Lampard’s Rams
Prince William and Jimmy Dugan -- er, Tom Hanks -- rejoice: Your club is back in the top flight.
Anwar El Ghazi was the star of the show as Aston Villa clinched Premier League promotion with a 2-1 defeat of Derby County in the Championship Playoff Final at Wembley Stadium on Monday.
Al-Ghazi scored and helped produce John McGinn’s insurance goal, and Derby’s Jack Marriott got a deserved goal late to close the gap.
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Villa got its first half goal from Al-Ghazi when he stooped to head a Mohamed Elmohamady cross into the goal.
And it was Al-Ghazi’s drive and shot from distance which was blocked into the air. Rams goalkeeper Kelle Roos timed his leap poorly in reaction, allowing McGinn to fire in front to head the ball out of his hands and into the goal.
At that point it felt like more of the same, as Villa beat Derby 4-0 and 3-0 during the season.
Derby picked up its intensity later, and Marriott turned and hit a pretty strike that skittered just wide of the far post. He’d later bundle a ball over the line to set up a grandstand finish.
Aston Villa take the lead just before the break! El Ghazi heads Villa in front! pic.twitter.com/HpWd5I8vAV
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 27, 2019
