Tammy Abraham struck in the 93rd minute to earn Aston Villa a thrilling 4-3 Premier League win over Sunderland, strengthening their push for Champions League qualification in a chaotic encounter at Villa Park.
Villa appeared in control after taking a 3-1 lead, but a late collapse almost cost them valuable points before Abraham’s decisive intervention restored order in stoppage time.
Fast start sets the tone
Villa made an early breakthrough just two minutes in when Ollie Watkins headed home John McGinn’s cross from close range. Sunderland responded quickly through Chris Rigg, whose curling strike into the far corner brought the visitors level.
Watkins restored Villa’s lead in the 36th minute with another header, this time converting Ian Maatsen’s cutback. After the restart, Morgan Rogers extended the advantage with a calm finish after being played through by Watkins.
Late drama turns the match upside down
With Villa seemingly cruising, the game flipped in the closing stages. Trai Hume pulled one back for Sunderland in the 86th minute with a sharp strike from a tight angle after a mistake by Jadon Sancho.
Moments later, Sancho was dispossessed again, allowing Wilson Isidor to race through and equalise, stunning the home crowd and completing a rapid Sunderland comeback.
The visitors even came close to completing the turnaround, but Emiliano Martínez produced a crucial one-on-one save to keep Villa alive.
Abraham delivers a decisive moment
Just when the match looked destined for a draw, substitute Tammy Abraham made the difference. In the 93rd minute, he met Lucas Digne’s low cross and diverted the ball into the net off his shin, sealing a dramatic victory for Villa.
League impact
The result keeps Villa fourth in the Premier League table and extends their cushion over sixth-placed Chelsea to 10 points, with only five matches remaining in the season.
Despite Sunderland’s spirited fightback, they were left empty-handed after failing to convert late chances that could have completed a remarkable comeback.
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