El Mohamady strikes as Villa fight back to draw at Newcastle
Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Aston Villa's Ahmed Elmohamady celebrates scoring their first goal with Kortney Hause as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS / Lee Smith / Pool
Aston Villa substitute Ahmed El Mohamady scored with seven minutes remaining to give his beleaguered side a potential lifeline from relegation as they claimed a point in a 1-1 Premier League draw at Newcastle United on Wednesday.
Villa remained in the bottom two but will be buoyed by their fightback at St James' Park after substitute Dwight Gayle had put the home team in front in the 68th minute.
Newcastle, who beat Sheffield United 3-0 on Sunday in their first game after the COVID-19 lockdown, stayed in 13th place as they advanced to 39 points from 31 games.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Newcastle United's Dwight Gayle scores their first goal as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS / Lee Smith / Pool
Villa are on 27 points, having drawn two of three games played in a seven-day spell after the league’s return to action.
Gayle had only been on for a minute when fellow replacement Andy Carroll provided a telling cross to allow him to score but El Mohamady steered home a glancing header from a corner in the 83rd minute to earn Villa a point.
Villa had made a lively start but Mahmoud Trezeguet missed after ghosting in behind the defence and Mbwana Samatta failed to get enough power onto a good headed opportunity.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Aston Villa's Ahmed Elmohamady celebrates scoring their first goal as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Laurence Griffiths/Pool via REUTERS
John McGinn and Matt Targett also failed to convert half-chances to keep up Villa's poor scoring record - they have netted twice in their last five Premier League games.
Newcastle were brought to life by Allan Saint-Maximin in midfield but the quality of his service was not matched by the strikers.
The hosts should have gone ahead in the 57th minute when Miguel Almiron found himself in space in front of goal but he allowed Tyrone Mings time to block the effort.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Newcastle United's Dwight Gayle celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS / Lee Smith / Pool
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ed Osmond)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Aston Villa's Jack Grealish in action with Newcastle United's Miguel Almiron as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS / Lee Smith / Pool Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Newcastle United's Allan Saint-Maximin in action with Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS / Lee Smith / Pool Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Newcastle United's Joelinton in action with Aston Villa's Kortney Hause as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Laurence Griffiths/Pool via REUTERS Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Newcastle United's Dwight Gayle celebrates scoring their first goal with Andy Carroll and teammates as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Laurence Griffiths/Pool via REUTERS Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Newcastle United's Andy Carroll shoots at goal as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Laurence Griffiths/Pool via REUTERS Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Aston Villa's Jack Grealish reacts after the match as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Lindsey Parnaby/Pool via REUTERS Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Aston Villa's John McGinn in action with Newcastle United's Matt Ritchie as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Laurence Griffiths/Pool via REUTERS Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Aston Villa - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - June 24, 2020 Newcastle United's Jamaal Lascelles in action with Aston Villa's Jack Grealish as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Lindsey Parnaby/Pool via REUTERS
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