The 2018-19 English Football League Championship playoffs final is going to be contested for between Aston Villa and Derby County at the Wembley Stadium. The 2 teams secured their places in the final by defeating their opponents, West Brom and Leeds United respectively. One last push for promotion into the EPL and a fat monetary reward lies in wait.
West Brom 1(3)-(4)0 Aston Villa (2-2 agg);
West Bromwich Albion went into the semifinal, home leg tie with a goal deficit, having lost at 1-2 at the Villa Park, only a 2-goal margin win would have seen them through to the final. Aston Villa, on the other hand, needed to avoid defeat to scale through to the final, having held a 2-1 home advantage into the 2nd leg, thanks to a Tammy Abraham spot-kick winner in the 1st leg.
As it is in every derby match, home advantage, stats and form play little or no effect, this West Midlands derby wasn't an exception, as the away side, Villa dominated the proceedings at the Hawthorns. However, it was the home side that got a 29th-minute lead, Craig Dawson rose highest to nod in a Mason Holgate corner to level the aggregate score at 2 all, 1 nil on the night. Villa almost hit back in the 43rd minute, Anwar El-Ghazi fired a long-range effort from outside the box but it was well saved by Sam Johnstone in West Brom goal. The half ended with the scoreline still stood at 1 nil in favour of the home side.
Villa started the 2nd half with urgency, pushing West Brom into their own half, but the Baggies stood their ground. West Brom resulted to set pieces and long-range shots looking for the winner, and almost got it in the 55th minutes through a Jay Rodriguez shot from outside the box, but Jed Steer in goal for Villa had it covered. With the home side proving difficult to break down, Villa also tried an outside the box shots in the 68th minute through El-Ghazi, but Johnstone made a good save. West Brom were reduced to 10 men with 10 minutes left of the regulation time, 2nd booking for Chris Brunt now made it difficult for West Brom to get the all important 2nd goal, as Villa laid siege on their box trying to take advantage of the extra man, they, Villa also got their goal, 2 quick-fired efforts from Albert Adomah and John McGinn were well saved by Johnstone in the 87th and 88th minutes respectively. But with no further goal from both side in the full regulation time plus the 30 extra times, and the tie still stalemates at 2-2 on aggregate and no away goal rule in play, the tie went into the dreaded penalty shootout.
A back-to-back misses from the spot for West Brom's Mason Holgate and Ahmed Hegazi proved costly for the Baggies, as Villa converted 4 of their 5 kicks(Albert Adomah the only miss), Chelsea loanee, Tammy Abraham kept his cool to convert the decisive spot-kick, as Villa won 4-3 on penalties.
Leeds 2-4 Derby (3-4 agg);
What could Frank Lampard do to have 1 over Marcelo Bielsa? his Derby County side had gone down 3 times consecutively, including the 1st leg home loss, to Leeds United, He travelled to Elland Road to upturn a 1-goal deficit from the 1st leg. A home draw was what Leeds needed, having held the 1st leg 1 nil advantage, as Bielsa sought redemption having let automatic promotion slipped through his fingers from a very respectable position.
It was the home side that quickly asserted herself on the visitors, calling Derby goalkeeper, Kelle Roos to an early 6th minute save from a Luke Ayling left-footed shot. With Leeds calling the shot, it didn't take much longer before they got their goal, an inviting free-kick was turned in by Stuart Dallas after it bounced off the post in the 24th minute to earn 1-0 scoreline, and it could have been 2 nil in the 36th minute had Patrick Bamford placed his effort into the corner rather than the centre of the goal, Roos well placed to save Bamford's effort. Against the run of play, Derby levelled in the injury time of the 1st half(45 min), Jack Marriott capitalized on a Leeds defensive mix up to scored with his 1st touch on the ball having just came on for Duane Holmes in the 44th minute, as the half ended in a 1 all draw, Leeds still holding to a 2-1 aggregate scoreline.
The 2nd half started with a bang, with Derby coming off the block smoking, a quick-fired 1st half goal in the 46th minute by Mason Mount to level things up at 2-2 aggregate, 1-2 on the night. It was all Derby's at the moment as Mason Mount drew a smart save from Kiko Casilla in Leeds goal in the 49th minute. Leeds tried a long-range effort through Stuart Dallas but Roos was on hand to save it. Derby scored what looked like the winning goal in the 58th minute through Harry Wilson converted spot-kick, to put the scores at 1-3, 2-3 on aggregate. However, just as when it seemed Derby are cruising away with a victory, the home side struck back, they pulled a goal back in the 62nd minute, with Stuart Dallas getting his brace on the night, 2-3 the scoreline, and 3 all on aggregate. The home side was reduced to 10 men with 12 minutes of the regulation time still to play for, Gaetano Berardi was sent off after receiving his 2nd yellow card for a reckless tackle. With 1 man down, it's always going to be difficult for Leeds as Derby scored again in the 85th minute, Jack Marriott completing his brace, 2-4 on the night to Derby, 3-4 on aggregate. Derby has their goalkeeper, Roos to thank though, as he made 3 saves to denied Leeds a late equalizer, Liam Cooper, Stuart Dallas and Jack Clarke were all denied by Roos in the closing stages of the encounter. A late red card to Derby's Scott Malone could not deny Frank Lampard a win over Bielsa at the 4th time of asking, 2-4 the match ended and 3-4 on aggregate. Leeds' quest for promotion now vanished till next season when they will have to try again.
Aston Villa will hope to avoid a back-to-back playoffs final defeat when the play Derby County in the final, Villa lost last season's playoffs final to Fulham who are now back in the EFL championship. Frank Lampard will now face his former Captain, John Terry(who is the assistant manager to Dean Smith at the helms of Aston Villa) in the dugout at the Wembley Stadium.
Who do you folks want to see back in the EPL? Frank Lampard barking instructions to his Derby players against Chelsea or John Terry doing a Mikel Arteta for Aston Villa against the Blues?
Thank you all for your time and support.
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