football stands together

 

 

Football stands together. We can scarcely imagine the horrors taking place daily in Ukraine but we can show our support, united in a minutes' applause before the game begins. A special mention for the fans of Southampton, a great club with a talented team and a super manager. They raise their scarves high, a fantastic salute in blue and yellow, the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

 

Football, true football, has always been about support. I speak to the lovely Irish couple who sit in the row behind. I haven't seen them for two months or more, their seats remaining empty since December. There is a reason.

 

Eyes brimming, they explain their daughter died totally unexpectedly two days after Christmas. She was aged just fifty seven. Today is a brave step for them towards something just a fraction more normal. They repeat their story time and again as fellow fans all around ask after them. Each time there is a touch, a hug. We support them too.

 

After all this it's difficult to say much about the football, other than to note Villa deliver an emphatic victory whilst Southampton have a 'bad day at the office'.

 

 

 

This post is dedicated to the people of Ukraine and in memory of Finola.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

aston villa 2 v 1 leicester

Wow, is this really happening?!!!

It's a cold, damp Tuesday evening at Villa Park.  What better way to celebrate my birthday than to watch the plucky boys in claret and blue succumb to yet another kicking at the feet of Leicester City.  Just few weeks ago they tore us to shreds in the Premier League and now we face them again in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup.

Coming into the match, honours are even. A creditable one-all draw at the King Power Stadium sees the tie finely balanced.

Leicester are off to a flying start, yet second-string keeper, Orjan Nyland, pulls off a string of astounding saves to keep us in the game. Cue Captain Jack Grealish, who gets on the end of a pass from Douglas Luiz and casually flicks the ball to a marauding Matt Targett. He makes no mistake and it's one nil to Villa.

Villa resist mounting pressure for the rest of the first-half and the start of the second until Harvey Barnes bursts past Frédéric Guilbert on the left-hand side of the box. He sends the ball across the face of goal and Kelechi Iheanacho arrives at the back post to flick it into the net. It's one all and everything to play for.

As the game-clock ticks down the prospect of a shoot-out penalty competition beckons, but Villa aren't done yet.  Our two Egyptian players, Ahmed Elmohamady and Trezeguet, link up for a fine second goal which leaves the Leicester City defence in tatters and their supporters in tears.

It's ASTON VILLA ... and onward to the final!!!