Aston Villa edge Tottenham in five-goal thriller for first league win
Aston Villa held on for a 3-2 win at Tottenham Hotspur to claim their first Premier League victory of the season.
It looked comfortable for a long spell. Then it got nervy. Two late Tottenham goals turned a controlled afternoon into a frantic finish in north London.
The game was played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday 19 September, with a 12.30pm UK kick-off, according to Tottenham Hotspur. Samuel Barrott was listed as the match official by the Premier League. Neither side had won in the league before kick-off.
Villa struck first in first-half stoppage time. Johan Manzambi scored the opener in the 45+4th minute, as reported by The Guardian. One-nil at the break. A perfect time to score.
It was a big day for Manzambi. He was making his full debut for Villa, according to Aston Villa. The summer signing from SC Freiburg started after Joao Gomes also returned to the starting XI. What a way to announce yourself.
Tottenham had their moments. Mohammed Kudus saw an equaliser ruled out for offside. That decision kept Villa ahead and kept the away end in full voice.
Spurs also lost Pedro Porro early. He limped off after 18 minutes and was replaced by Archie Gray, BBC Sport reported. Dominic Solanke led the line but is still searching for rhythm, having not scored in the Premier League since March.
Villa pressed home their advantage after the break. Nicolas Jackson doubled the lead, as reported by BBC Sport. Emi Buendia added a third. Three goals away from home. No wonder the Villa bench was up.
Behind them, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki stood firm. He earned an 8 out of 10 player rating from BBC Sport for his display. He commanded his box and made the saves he had to make.
Tottenham refused to fold. Conor Gallagher pulled one back late. Jan Paul van Hecke added another. Suddenly 3-2. Suddenly every clearance mattered.
Villa saw it out. That is what counts.
For context, Villa arrived with fresh momentum. They had beaten Coventry City 3-1 away to reach the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. This league win was the next step after a summer of change, with 10 new faces welcomed to the club earlier in September.
What makes this stand out is the timing. Villa needed a league win, and they found it on the road. For Spurs, the late rally will offer some encouragement, but the slow start and early injury to Porro left them chasing the game for too long.
