Villa Draw! Watkins Scores, But Frankfurt Holds On in US Pre-Season Thriller!

Aston Villa kicked off their pre-season tour of the USA with an exciting 2-2 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt at the Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. The match was a lively affair, featuring goals, near misses, and plenty of substitutions as both teams geared up for the upcoming season.

Watkins Opens the Scoring

Ollie Watkins got Aston Villa off to a flying start, finding the back of the net in the 12th minute. Donyell Malen, who proved to be a creative force throughout the match, provided the assist, pulling the ball back across the box for Watkins to finish. Villa looked sharp in the early stages, with Boubacar Kamara also impressing in midfield.

Frankfurt Responds Twice

However, Frankfurt quickly responded, with Elye Wahi equalizing shortly after Watkins' opener. A mistake in the Villa defense allowed the German side to capitalize and level the score. Later in the game, after Morgan Rogers had restored Villa's lead, Eba Is struck in the 82nd minute to secure a draw for Frankfurt.

Key Moments and Missed Chances

The match was full of key moments and missed opportunities. Malen himself had an early chance to score but hesitated, opting for a touch instead of a first-time finish. Watkins also came close to bagging a brace, narrowly missing the far post after rounding the goalkeeper. Wahi, too, had a golden opportunity to double his tally but dragged his shot wide.

Second-Half Substitutions

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery made several changes at the start of the second half, bringing on Pau Torres, Amadou Onana, Morgan Rogers, and Ezri Konsa. These substitutions injected fresh energy into the team, but Frankfurt remained resilient and ultimately secured a well-deserved draw.

Overall, the match was a positive start to Aston Villa's pre-season tour, providing valuable minutes for the squad and highlighting areas for improvement before the start of the competitive season.