Aston Villa clinched promotion back to the Premier League at the third time of asking after defeating Derby Country 2-1 at Wembley.
In the so-called “richest game in football”, it was Villa who struck first after a fine Ahmed Elmohamady cross found the shoulder of Anwar El Ghazi, who managed to direct the ball into the far corner of the net.
El Ghazi’s goal right before half-time gave Villa a slender advantage, capping off a fairly even first half, with both sides enjoying a fair share of possession.
The second half, however, would compound Derby’s miserable day, as a comical goalkeeping error from Kelle Roos allowed John McGinn to head the ball out of his hands from close range, making it 2-0 to Villa.
It was a goal that seemingly knocked the stuffing out of Derby, with the Rams struggling to create changes in the aftermath.
That would soon change, however, with the likes of Jack Marriott and Florian Jozefzoon entering the game. Marriott’s impact was immediate, and he soon scored, making it 2-1 with 10 minutes to go, setting up a grandstand finish.
Villa, though, would ultimately get redemption for last season’s final defeat against Fulham by holding out for a famous win. Dean Smith, after just six months in charge at Villa Park, can now start planning for life in the Premier League next season.
Here are the player ratings from the eventful afternoon at Wembley – starting with the victorious Villa side.
