Guzan the hero as Villa advance

BRAD GUZAN emerged as the Aston Villa hero as Martin O’Neill’s men secured their place in the Carling Cup quarter-finals at Sunderland’s expense last night.

The American saved Kenwyne Jones’ late penalty to take the game to extra-time and ultimately penalties.

And he maintained his excellence by saving three of Sunderland’s four spot-kicks in the shoot-out with Ashley Young converting the clincher to send Villa into the last eight.

The Wearsiders will feel hard done by but they only have themselves to blame after squandering some gilt-edged chances, none more presentable than that which fell to Kieran Richardson in the closing minutes of the extra period.

Having burst clean through, the former Manchester United midfielder should have scored but hammered his shot straight into the chest of Guzan.

The match started slowly before coming to its dramatic climax.

Emile Heskey almost marked his first start in two months with a second-minute opener. Gabriel Agbonlahor escaped down the right and his low cross was cleverly flicked towards goal by Heskey, only for the ball to narrowly miss the far post.

Villa improved at the start of the second period with James Milner finally making an impact.

Milner almost created the opening goal shortly after the restart with a powerful surge down the right but his low driven cross was inches ahead of Heskey in the middle.

Sunderland were handed the chance to make the breakthrough after 83 minutes when Carlos Cuellar was harshly adjudged to have handled Suubsitute Andy Reid’s cross but Jones’ low spot-kick was weak and Guzan saved with ease down to his left.

Sunderland cranked up the pressure in the second period of extra time although a succession of crosses into the Villa box were dealt with by the impressive James Collins and Richard Dunne.

There was almost a late twist in the tale but Richardson passed up a golden chance to win it with time almost up.

And with Reid, Lorik Cana and Henderson all missing in the shoot-out, there was no way back for Sunderland.

SUNDERLAND: Gordon, Da Silva, Turner, Nosworthy, McCartney (Ferdinand, 78), Henderson, Cana, Richardson, Murphy (Reid, 73), Jones, Campbell (Malbranque, 95).

ASTON VILLA: Guzan, Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Milner, Reo-Coker (Delph, 91), Petrov (Sidwell, 115), Ashley Young, Agbonlahor, Heskey (Carew, 77).

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).