Aston Villa 1 Crystal Palace 2: Villa bow out of EFL Cup
One avenue Aston Villa had to end their trophy drought is now over - after defeat to Crystal Palace.
Villa’s quickest route to ending their long trophy drought this season is now closed.
Daichi Kamada got the winner as Crystal Palace advanced to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on the night Tyrone Mings returned to action after 14 months out.
The defender’s performance was a positive for the hosts, who also saw a strong display from midfielder Boubacar Kamara, another player recently returned from long-term injury.
But this was also an opportunity missed for Villa, who despite a much-changed line-up looked the more likely winners before Kamada pounced on a mistake by Diego Carlos midway through the second half.
Eberechi Eze had earlier opened the scoring for Palace but then went off injured, while the visitors also lost Adam Wharton after Jhon Duran had levelled matters with his eighth goal of the season.
Duran had further chances as Villa threatened but their lack of killer instinct proved costly when Kamada, who had replaced Eze off the bench, pounced.
Emery has made clear his desire to end Villa’s long trophy drought and his team performed well despite the manager making 10 changes. But a bench consisting largely of youngsters was a reminder this competition comes well down his list of priorities. The only experienced attacking player among the substitutes, Jacob Ramsey, was not brought on even when Villa were trailing.
This was Villa's fourth straight home defeat in domestic cup competitions under Emery.
Mings was making his first start for 445 days, while this was Kamara’s first since mid-February. Both completed 90 minutes and both played impressively.
Palace, who won their first Premier League match of the season against Tottenham on Sunday, were strong on paper and began .
Emery paid tribute to Emi Martinez in the matchday programme after the Villa keeper was crowned best in the world for the second year running.
But the two-time Lev Yashin Trophy winner watched the match from an executive box with his family after being granted the night off.
His replacement, Joe Gauci, was picking the ball out of the net inside the first eight minutes on what was his first ever start at Villa Park.
The hosts might have led themselves by that stage had Leon Bailey, who earlier tested visiting goalkeeper Matt Turner with a low drive, made better connection with Jaden Philogene’s crossfield pass on the edge of the box. Instead, he scuffed the effort wide.
Eze made no mistake soon after, planting a header into the far corner of the net after being left totally unmarked to meet Daniel Munoz’s cross.
The Palace forward celebrated by taunting the Holte End but that was as good as his night got as he was then forced off by injury.
A further blow followed for the visitors when Adam Wharton also picked up a knock and by then Villa were level thanks to superb work by Kamara.
The midfielder snuffed out a counter attack when he dispossessed Kamada and then sent a looping ball over the top for Bailey to chase. Duran had time to take a touch on the pass which followed before squeezing a shot beyond Turner.
Villa were starting to find their rhythm and another fine ball over the top from Kamara sent Duran scampering into the box, his cross being deflected into the chest of Turner before Emi Buendia’s attempted follow-up was blocked.
Philogene and Kosta Nedeljkovic, another player making his first Villa Park start, were both guilty of wasting good opportunities before Bailey sent a long-range effort down the throat of Turner in first half stoppage time.
Duran forced the keeper into a better save in the first 40 seconds of the second half after pouncing on a heavy pass from Kamada. Turner was off his line but far enough back to beat away the driven effort.
Villa continued to carve out the better chances and Duran should have got his second when Maatsen’s shot hit Trevoh Chalobah and Maxence Lacroix and fell to him six yards out but from a wide position he could not get the effort on target.
Instead it was Palace who went back on front as Carlos served up a gift. Villa had already received a warning shortly before when Kamada shot wide after pouncing on a poor Nedeljkovic clearance. The Japan international made no mistake when Carlos played a pass to nowhere. His low shot from the edge of the box beat Gauci and Villa trailed again.
When Emery made changes with 11 minutes to go it was to introduce a trio of youngsters and Villa never seriously threatened an equaliser.
Villa (4-2-3-1): Gauci, Nedeljkovic, Carlos, Mings, Maatsen, Kamara, McGinn (Bogarde 79), Bailey (Young 79(, Buendia (Jimoh-Aloba 79), Philogene, Duran Subs not used: Cash, Patterson, Swinkels, Borland, Ramsey, Zych (gk).
Palace (3-4-2-1): Turner, Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi ©, Munoz, Wharton (Schlupp 27 (Clyne 88)), Hughes, Mitchell, Eze (Kamada 17), Nketiah (Sarr 88), Mateta Subs not used: Sarr, Umeh, Devenny, Kporha, Agbinone, Henderson (gk).
