English Championship outfit, Aston Villa have been promoted to the English Premier League (EPL) after a pulsating 2-1 English Football League Playoffs final win against Derby County on Monday night.
A year after suffering Championship playoff final heartbreak at the hands of Fulham, Villa made amends as Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn headed home either side of half-time to give them control in the encounter.
Substitute, Martyn Waghon set up a tense finish to the encounter by pulling a goal back for Derby with just nine minutes from time but Villa put up the needed resistance to hold on and return to the top flight of English football since their relegation in 2016.
The victory for Dean Smith’s side in the most lucrative game in world football means the West Midlands club will pocket a minimum of £170 million.
Derby County, tutored by former Chelsea midfielder, Frank Lampard suffered yet another late-season despair, losing in the play-offs for the fourth time in six seasons.
Lampard’s disappointment contrasted with the jubilation experienced by his former Chelsea and England team-mate, John Terry who was in the opposing dugout as Villa’s assistant boss.
UPDATES
- Labour Unions Walk Out Of Minimum Wage Negotiations Over N48,000 Proposal
- Rivers State Governor Laments Inherited Debts, Promises Infrastructure Development
- President Bola Tinubu Suspends Cybersecurity Levy Following Public Outcry
- Obi Engages In High-Level Meetings With Atiku, Lamido, And Saraki In Abuja
- Rivers State Governor Unveils Plan For Governance Probe Amid Political Turmoil
Finidi George Appointed As Head Coach Of Nigeria’s Super Eagles
PSG Secures Champions League Semifinal Spot With Victory Over Barcelona
Borussia Dortmund Makes Historic UEFA Champions League Semifinal Breakthrough
Bayer Leverkusen End Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga Dominance With Historic Title Win