New Delhi: Chelsea suffered a frustrating night at Villa Park as they let an early lead slip in a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa. Enzo Fernandez had put the Blues ahead within the first ten minutes, but Marco Asensio’s brace turned the game around. The Spaniard, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, equalised just before the hour mark, with VAR confirming his goal after an initial offside decision. Then, with one minute of normal time left, he struck again, his volley slipping past Filip Jorgensen to seal a dramatic victory for the hosts.
It was a match that started well for Chelsea, who looked sharp in the opening exchanges. With Pedro Neto leading the line in the absence of injured strikers, they found an early breakthrough through Fernandez, taking advantage of Villa’s shaky defence.
However, despite controlling possession for large parts of the game, the Blues struggled to create enough clear chances, and Villa slowly grew into the contest. Asensio’s equaliser gave them momentum, and Chelsea found themselves under pressure as the home side pushed for a winner. Ultimately, their defensive lapse in the dying minutes proved costly, and Villa took full advantage.
Marco Asensio’s brace stuns Chelsea
It’s late joy for @AVFCOfficial after Marco Asensio’s brace completes the comeback win 🤙#AVLCHE pic.twitter.com/4PBRkYiXNM
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 22, 2025
Chelsea took the lead in the ninth minute after an impressive team move. Moises Caicedo turned cleverly inside his own half and released Neto down the right. The Portuguese winger drove into the box and sent a low cross towards Fernandez, who finished from close range. The early goal gave Chelsea confidence, and they controlled possession well, but Aston Villa always carried a threat on the counter.
Ollie Watkins had a few early chances, forcing Jorgensen into saves, while Marc Cucurella had to make a vital block to deny the striker. Chelsea had their own opportunities, with Christopher Nkunku going close and Cole Palmer hitting the side-netting after linking up well with Neto. Despite Villa’s pressure, Chelsea managed to keep their lead going into half-time.
The second half saw the hosts step up their intensity, and their efforts were rewarded in the 58th minute. Matty Cash delivered a cross from the right, finding Marcus Rashford at the back post. The forward volleyed the ball back across goal, and Asensio was in the right place to finish from close range. The assistant referee initially flagged for offside, but a VAR check overturned the decision, giving Villa a deserved equaliser.
Chelsea looked for a response, and Palmer had a golden opportunity to put them back in front. After being played through by Caicedo, he found himself one-on-one with Martinez, but the Chelsea attacker slipped at the crucial moment, allowing Ezri Konsa to make a block. Palmer then curled a shot just wide from distance as Chelsea struggled to break down a solid Villa defence.
As the game entered its final moments, Villa found their winner. Rashford’s cross into the box was met by Asensio, who volleyed goalwards. Jorgensen got a hand to the ball but failed to keep it out as it squirmed under him and into the net. The late goal sent Villa Park into celebration, while Chelsea were left frustrated after another game where they failed to capitalise on their dominance.
The result leaves Chelsea in sixth place, level on points with Bournemouth but behind fourth-placed Manchester City. Villa, meanwhile, move up to seventh, just a point behind Enzo Maresca’s side in the table.
Chelsea took an early lead through Enzo Fernandez, but Marco Asensio’s late brace secured Aston Villa a dramatic 2-1 win at Villa Park, leaving the Blues frustrated after another missed opportunity. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
