El-Ghazi’s late penalty helps Aston Villa sink Wolves

LONDON: Aston Villa snatched a 1-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday after substitute Anwar El-Ghazi drilled in a stoppage-time penalty as both sides finished the game with 10 men.

Villa had Douglas Luiz sent off in the 85th minute and Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho was dismissed shortly after the visitors scored against the run of play to register their fourth away win of the season.

The result at Molineux Stadium lifted Villa up to eighth on 18 points from 10 games while Wolves, again sorely missing injured striker Raul Jimenez, stayed 11th on 17 points from 12 games.

The home side looked more likely to grab the winner in a dour clash, with their 18-year old striker Fabio Silva hitting the post midway through the second half as he made his first start for the club.

Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez pulled off several fine saves, taming a stinging low shot from Daniel Podence before he somehow kept out a fierce Leander Dendoncker volley 10 minutes from time.

When the match seemed to be heading for a draw, Nelson Semedo hauled down John McGinn in the penalty area and El-Ghazi made no mistake with the spot-kick as he blasted the ball past keeper Rui Patricio.

Meanwhile, two headed goals from set pieces by midfielder Tomas Soucek and defender Angelo Ogbonna helped West Ham United fight back from a goal down to beat Leeds United 2-1 in their clash at Elland Road on Friday.

West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski conceded a penalty in the second minute when he brought down Patrick Bamford and seemed to have redeemed himself by saving Mateusz Klich’s spot kick.

However, a retake was ordered due to Fabianski leaving his line and Klich scored at the second attempt.

Soucek put West Ham level in the 25th minute, outmuscling defender Stuart Dallas to head the ball into the net. The visitors took the lead thanks to Ogbonna’s far-post header from an Aaron Cresswell free kick ten minutes from time.

Now level with Chelsea as the league’s best scorers from set pieces with eight goals, the win lifts the Hammers to fifth spot in the standings with 20 points after 12 games. Leeds remain in 14th place on 14 points.