Soccer Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - January 4, 2023 Aston Villa's Leon Bailey shoots at goal as Wolverhampton Wanderers' Jose Sa reacts Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) -Aston Villa substitute Danny Ings grabbed a late equaliser to secure a 1-1 home draw with Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers after trailing for much of Wednesday’s Premier League tussle.
Ings netted 12 minutes from time to level after Daniel Podence’s skilful goal handed Wolves an early lead and hope of moving out of the relegation zone.
Podence showed some tricky footwork before firing home a left-footed effort in the 12th minute as Wolves made a bright start in their third league game under new manager Julen Lopetegui.
Yet Ings' goal ensured they stayed second from bottom after the draw at Villa Park while their hosts moved up one place to 11th position.
Wolves served early notice of their potential when centre back Nathan Collins had his header cleared off the line by Ezri Konsa in the sixth minute.
It was quickly followed by Podence’s masterful effort, at the end of a pass from veteran Joao Moutinho, where he tricked his way around Douglas Luiz by shifting the ball from one foot to the other in a lightning-quick move before hitting it into the net from a difficult angle.
There was little that Villa’s World Cup winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez could do about it as he made his return to the club's lineup for the first time since his success with his country in Qatar.
But the Argentine international did come off his line quickly some 10 minutes later to block Matheus Nunes’ close-in effort.
Villa’s first-half efforts were restricted to a Lucas Digne free kick that was flapped away by keeper Jose Sa and there were not too many for the hosts immediately after the break either, but they got stronger as the game headed into the closing stages.
Villa were denied an equaliser in the 75th minute when a left-footed volley from unmarked Ludwig Augustinsson was kept out by a clever touch from the head of Wolves defender Max Kilman.
But three minutes later a long ball over the midfield from Tyrone Mings was expertly brought down by Ings, who then profited from a slip by Sa to tuck away his sixth league goal of the season.
The hosts might have won with virtually the last touch of the game as Leon Bailey went round Sa, running onto another expert long ball from deep, but he fluffed his effort and put it wide with the goal at his mercy.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
