Frank Onyeka played his first full 90 minutes of the season as Brentford secured a dramatic EFL Cup victory over Aston Villa, progressing after a 4-2 win on penalties. The game ended 1-1 after normal time.
Harvey Elliott had given Aston Villa the lead in first-half stoppage time, but Aaron Hickey responded 12 minutes after the restart with a stunning equaliser to bring Brentford level.
Villa pushed hard for a winner, but Brentford held firm, with goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson making a last-minute stoppage-time save to keep the scores level and force penalties.
Valdimarsson proved to be the hero again in the shootout, saving efforts from John McGinn and Matty Cash.
Brentford were flawless from the spot, converting all four of their penalties, while Aston Villa’s Marco Bizot failed to make a single save.
Following the win, Brentford coach Keith Andrews praised Valdimarsson for his impact:
“Goalkeepers are always involved in the moments, aren’t they?
“I said at half-time that mistakes will happen. I’m OK with that. The reaction I’m really happy with – two great saves in the shootout.”
Andrews also commended Aaron Hickey’s contribution:
“He’s a talented player and to score a goal of that quality was special for him.”
Nigeria international Frank Onyeka had an impressive outing in midfield.
He completed 37 passes, including two into the final third, and created one goalscoring opportunity.
Defensively, he stood out with 100% tackle success, four ball recoveries, and two ground duels won.
Brentford will now shift focus back to the Premier League, where they take on Fulham on Saturday, 20th September.
