Aston Villa boosted as Jordan Ayew earns draw with Newcastle United
Newcastle 1 - 1 Aston VillaHome team scorers
Fabricio Coloccini 38
Away team scorers
Jordan Ayew 61
Aston Villa’s Jordan Ayew celebrates after scoring the equaliser against Newcastle United in the Premier League match at St James’ Park.
For quite a while the torrential rain seemed Newcastle United’s biggest enemy but then, after an hour, Rémi Garde brought Rudy Gestede off the bench. To say Gestede shook things up a bit would be an understatement and, equally important, the substitute striker brought the previously slumbering Jordan Ayew to life.
Ayew duly scored a stunning equaliser and, although the resultant point leaves Villa still bottom and seemingly still doomed to relegation, Garde will surely feel a sliver of encouragement. Steve McClaren, meanwhile, merely received a reminder that his own relegation worries are anything but behind him.
“Nobody is dancing, of course, but the mood is good,” said Garde. “I like to be optimistic and maybe this is the point that will keep us up at the end of the season. Gestede made a big impact, he brought us back into the game. When we had nothing to lose, we started to play.”
All aimless high balls and squandered possession, the first half was so desperately poor that Garde and McClaren could probably have stepped into midfield and not looked out of place. As the weather became more tropical monsoon than winter shower, the ball started sticking in numerous puddles and Papiss Cissé injured himself.
Enter Aleksandar Mitrovic. If the Serb’s first act after stepping off the bench was infinitely forgettable – he completely missed Moussa Sissoko’s inviting low cross – his second proved instrumental in Newcastle taking the lead.
Meeting Jack Colback’s subtly curved free-kick, Mitrovic forced Brad Guzan to tip his looping header over the bar. The resultant corner – from Colback again – was not executed that well but, even so, Villa’s defence allowed the ball to roll across the area towards Fabricio Coloccini. With Joleon Lescott, his supposed minder, having lost his man, Newcastle’s captain, unleashed a right-foot shot that Guzan should arguably have saved. By way of celebration the much criticised Sissoko stuck two fingers up at a television camera and may need to explain himself to the Football Association.
The rain eased in the second period but, with the pitch waterlogged in places, players slithered all over the place and accurate passing became impossible. Undeterred, Villa finally conjured up a clearcut chance, involving Rob Elliot doing well to parry Jordan Veretout’s low shot. Granted Idrissa Gueye and Carlos Sánchez continued to struggle in midfield – although Gueye did produce the odd moment hinting at the possibility of better days to come – but Villa were improving.
They proved it when Ayew dodged Daryl Janmaat, switched the ball to his right foot and curled a wonderful shot into the top corner from the edge of the area. “A brilliant goal from a talented player,” said Garde.
McClaren was left to rue the moment shortly before when Siem De Jong missed a sitter, somehow heading Georginio Wijnaldum’s cross wide.
Villa might have taken the lead when Ayew crossed in Gestede’s direction. He had fazed Coloccini and company ever since replacing the ineffective Scott Sinclair but he could not quite make the required connection.
Against all odds the game had become compelling, with Janmaat and Ayew falling out and Wijnaldum, Gestede and Ayoze Pérez all spurning presentable scoring chances.
“We should have won,” said McClaren. “Siem’s miss was the absolute decisive moment.”
Guardian
