Benteke saves shaky Villans
THE OLD pals hugged, then slugged it out. But Tim Sherwood will forever be thankful to Christian Benteke for making sure honours ended even.
Sherwood and Chris Ramsey, friends, neighbours and drinking partners, faced each other down as rival managers on an extraordinary night at Villa Park, as relegation nerves were rubbed raw.
Charlie Austin, so often Rangers’ saviour this season, had looked like he had earned his side a precious win when he struck 12 minutes from time. But Benteke’s glorious free- kick denied them.
This morning QPR are, cruelly, still in the bottom three – and time is running out.
Ramsey’s men could not have had a better start as Matt Phillips headed them in front inside seven minutes. But Villa roared back as Benteke scored twice. Clint Hill levelled for Rangers and then Austin put them ahead. But Benteke would not be denied and completed his treble.
Sherwood made fi ve changes to the team who lost to Manchester United on Saturday, and handed youngster Jack Grealish, 19, his full debut.
QPR went into the game having won unexpectedly at West Brom on Saturday, making it two wins in 12 this year. Their away form apart from that had been wretched, with two victories from 13 trips.
Villa, though, started the night with the worst home scoring record in the Premier League – just 11 goals from 15 games. Something had to give.
And right off, it was Villa. They failed to clear Austin’s cross from the right and Bobby Zamora chased, chipped a lovely cross back in, and there was Phillips all alone to dive and nod home.
But the hosts bit back within three minutes. Benteke was given far too much room on the left by Mauricio Isla. He cut inside the hapless Chilean, and his shot took a defl ection off the full- back’s foot to loop over a helpless Rob Green and into the far corner. Sherwood, who had unzipped his gilet after the fi rst goal, now threw it to the ground in joy.
Green then saved QPR as he plunged to block brilliantly at Grealish’s feet when a goal seemed certain. There were waves of Villa attacks coming at Rangers, and Sandro was left groggy as he bravely blocked Ron Vlaar’s ferocious shot. Benteke then saw his header defl ected an inch wide.
For a desperate relegation struggle, the game was amazingly open. But Villa’s
second came after a spell of Rangers pressure that had Villa Park hopping nervously. Carlos Sanchez took the ball off Niko Kranjcar and whipped it upfi eld. Gabby Agbonlahor played it on as he was scythed down by Sandro – and Benteke was clear.
The Belgian raced away, cut neatly inside Hill, and tucked his shot home for a cool fi nish. Ramsey’s side had left themselves exposed – and they had paid for it.
It could have been even worse for the Rs had Gabby Agbonlahor’s header not crept an inch wide.
QPR at this stage simply had no answer to Villa’s pace and high pressing. Grealish was proving a handful, and one low shot had to be swiftly smothered by Green.
The one hope for Ramsey’s men was Villa’s nerves. Whenever they did come forward Sherwood’s team were horribly jumpy.
And rightly so. In a rare sortie, QPR won a corner that Phillips swung in, and Villa’s defence was statuesque as Hill climbed to thump his header past Brad Guzan. It was the 36- year- old’s fi rst goal in 20 months.
Villa kept pushing but QPR had something to hold on to.
And then apparent salvation for the Londoners. Phillips shrugged off both Sanchez and Kieran Richardson and crossed low, where Austin controlled and shot home his 17th goal of the season. There were 12 minutes left. But that was enough. Hill brought down Charles N’Zogbia – and Benteke stepped up to curl in the free- kick off the post.