Aston Villa vs. Everton - Football Match Report - September 18, 2021

Aston Villa vs. Everton - Football Match Report - September 18, 2021

ESPN·2021-09-20 18:00

Aston Villa ended Everton's unbeaten start to the Premier League season as three goals in nine second-half minutes earned them a 3-0 victory at Villa Park on Saturday.The game was drifting towards a draw until the 66th minute when Matthew Cash fired Villa ahead with his first goal for the club, before an own goal by Lucas Digne made it 2-0.- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)- Don't have ESPN? Get instant accessAs Everton buckled, substitute Leon Bailey made it 3-0 with a powerful drive after coming on as a substitute although his cameo performance was curtailed by an injuryThe closest an injury-hit Everton came to scoring was moments before Cash's opener when in-form Demarai Gray curled a shot just wide.Everton have 10 points from five games in fifth spot with Villa moving up into the top half of the table with seven points from their five games.The visitors were without injured strikers Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison and were also missing keeper Jordan Pickford and right back Seamus Coleman.Rafa Benitez's side were content to sit deep and play on the break, and they had been enjoying a degree of control until they were blown away by a stunning Villa burst.Leon Bailey came off the bench to score one and set up another in Aston Villa's win. Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty ImagesCash, who had never scored for the Midlands club before, was played in down the right before cutting in on his left foot and sending a rising drive past Asmir Begovic.Everton were rattled and fell further behind when Bailey's corner glanced off Digne and into the net.Bailey, whose pace was electrifying, then latched on to a bouncing ball down the left and lashed a ferocious shot into the back of the net with Begovic beaten for pace."I thought we were the better team in the first half but didn't create as many clear-cut chances as we'd like. I felt five minutes before our goal, they were on top," Villa manager Dean Smith said.He reserved special praise for Bailey: "Leon put the corner in for the goal and scored the third. The first goal was great build-up and Matt [Cash] has put it in the top bin."I thought Leon would lift us a bit. He's really special. He's a really good player. That's why we got him here."

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