Aston Villa have progressed to the fourth round of the League Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 win over city rivals Birmingham City on Tuesday night, Rudy Gestede's goal proving the difference at Villa Park.
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The hosts were first to threaten as Gestede found himself in space outside the box, but his effort was harmlessly scuffed wide.
Birmingham then enjoyed a dangerous spell through Demarai Gray, who lashed a cross just over the bar, before Jacques Maghoma marauded into the penalty area and fired just wide with Brad Guzan beaten.
The game continued to be played at high tempo, with a goalmouth scramble in the 10th minute nearly paving the way for Gestede to poke home, but Tomasz Kuscszak got down well to smother the ball.
Things soon settled down on the pitch as play slowed down somewhat, though Micah Richards was able to try his luck with a header from a corner midway through the first half, which went harmlessly wide in the end.
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Both sides were fairly even on the pitch and weighed in with respective forays into the opposition's final third, but neither could force the issue and so had to settle with going in goalless at the break.
Villa applied pressure against their city rivals after the restart, as Jack Grealish's introduction to the pitch saw the 20-year-old send a cross into the box that Gestede rifled just over the bar.
Jordan Veretout was next to fashion a chance for Tim Sherwood's charges after bearing down the wing and lashing a ball towards Scott Sinclair, but the resulting header was also off target.
The home side's perseverance paid off when, just after the hour, Jordan Amavi picked out Gestede, who nodded powerfully into the bottom corner at the near post for his second goal of the season and the game's breakthrough.
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Birmingham set about trying to get back on level terms and did so reasonably well, as Gray tried his luck from outside the area in the 70th minute but dragged his effort wide of the post.
Five minutes later, the visitors had a premium chance to equalise as Maghoma beat the offside trap to race onto Gray's through-ball, but his subsequent effort was not strong enough to trouble Guzan.
Ultimately Villa were able to see out the game, with the final whistle bringing relief and celebrations to the home side as they progressed in the competition at the expense of their bitter rivals.
Giuseppe Labellarte
