Aston Villa pay the penalties in Switzerland

Jul 13 2008

FC ZURICH 2 ASTON VILLA 1

VILLA boss Martin O’Neill wasted no time in handing a 45-minute run-out to new signing Steve Sidwell in Switzerland yesterday.

The £4.5million arrival from Chelsea played the first half and almost scored with a bullet header but was otherwise subdued before his half-time substitution.

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And Villa were undone by a couple of contentious penalty awards from top Swiss female referee Nicole Petignat.

Sidwell lined up alongside Nigel Reo-Coker in central midfield in a strong Villa line-up in front of 500 or so spectators in a small sports park in Zurich.

And afterwards the former Reading and Arsenal midfielder spoke of his relief at getting his Villa career underway but admitted that it was a tough baptism.

“It felt fine. It was a hard work-out, and it wasn’t the best of games. We were disappointed how we played- especially in the first half.

“We looked tired and jaded but as the game wore on we got better.

“For me personally I managed to get 45 minutes under my belt and I will look to get more over the next couple of games.”

Sidwell had only been in Switzerland a matter of hours before the game.“I met up with the players on Friday night and they are a great bunch of lads”, he said.

“It’s a small squad at the minute and the gaffer is trying his hardest to improve that.

“We’ll wait on that but for the moment I will enjoy working here.

“It was a long drawn-out saga in the end but I now want to do my talking on the pitch.

“It’s all about fitness this time of year. We need to get that sharpness because we have a bid game next weekend.

“My basic fitness is okay- it is all about match fitness now.

“That’s my first 45 minutes for probably seven or eight weeks. I felt okay but there is a lot to improve on.”

Petignat did the visitors few favours in handing Zurich – who will play in the UEFA CUp this season – a third minute penalty for an innocuos foul by Martin Laursen on Florian Stahel.

Almen Abdi sent Stuart Taylor the wrong way from the spot and Villa were immediately playing catch-up.

Former Arsenal keeper Taylor entered the match sweating on his place following Villa’s move to bring in Brad Guzan- the transfer depending on Villa acquring a work permit.

Gabby Agbonlahor would have secured Villa a quick equaliser but for an offside flag, but the England striker soon got his name on the scoresheet when he powered-in from the left-edge of the box to send a firm drive across and beyond keeper Johnny Leoni.

Skipper Martin Laursen twice came close to nudging Villa ahead from Wayne Routledge corners as Villa gradually took charge and flexed their muscle with set-pieces.

And it was one excellent corner deleivery from Routledge that almost presented Sidwell with a debut goal as he ghosted in behind skipper Laursen and powered a superb header goalwards which the keeper did well to fingertip over the crossbar,.

Villa closed the half on top with both Shaun Maloney and Marlon Harewood going close, but they should have fallen behind but for a poor miss by centre-forward Eric Hassli right on half-time.

Villa had to make an enforced change two minutes before the break with 17-year-old Nathan Baker limping off and having to be replaced by Isiah Osbourne.

Osbourne was asked to play in the unlikely role of right-back with Craig Gardner switching to left-back.

They made a further four changes at the break with Sidwell rested and Ashley Young, John Carew, Stiliyan Petrov and Moustapha Salifou entering the fray.

The changes broke Villa’s rhythm and they were gradually forced onto the defensive.

Silvan Aegerter missed the target from close range when he really should have put the home team ahead.

Then Villa survived a huge scare when Salifou cleared Stahel’s drive off the line from with Taylor beaten.

Carew’s half-volley from Young’s cross was well saved by Leoni but Villa had lost their way and were put under increasing pressure as the half wore on.

It was little surprise when they fell behind a second time with eleven minutes remaining, although it took yet another contentious decision to floor them.

Referee Petignat awarded Zurich their second spot-kick after a clumsy foul by Zat Knight on substitute Admir Mehdi.

Abdi again strode up confidently and although Taylor guessed right in diving to his right he was beaten by the flight.

It could have been 3-1 late on by Abdi’s well-taken 20-yard shot was saved by Taylor and caught on the rebound.

FC ZURICH (4-1-3-2): Leoni; Stahel, Barmettler, Tihinen, Rochat; Aegerter; Nikci (Ladner,79), Okonkwo, Djuric (Stucki,65); Abdi (Buchel,88), Hassli (Mehmedi,71). Subs: Guatelli, Koch, Alphonse, Staubli, Schonbachler, Chikhaoui, Lampi, Tahirovic, Vasquez, Vargara, Silvio, Konde, Lattmann.

VILLA (4-4-2): Taylor; Gardner, Knight, Laursen, Baker (Osbourne,43); Routledge, (Young,h/t), Reo-Coker (Albrighton,90), Sidwell (Salifou,h/t), Maloney (Petrov, h/t); Harewood (Carew,h/t), Agbonlahor (Delfouneso,72). Subs: Parish, Williams, Stieber.