One year after winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, in which he was one of the star protagonists of the Scaloneta with his solid interventions, Emiliano Martínez continues to demonstrate that his reflexes are intact and that he seems willing to take Aston as high as possible Unai Emery’s Villa in the Premier League. He showed it in the comeback against Brentford, whom he beat 2-1 in a nerve-filled match at GTech Community Stadium. Thus he does not lose track of Arsenal, who beat Brighton 2-0 and is a leader waiting for what happens between Liverpool and Manchester United.
The Argentine goalkeeper, who returned to the starting lineup for the Birmingham club after being rested in the 1-1 draw against Zrinjski in the Europa League, showed the best of his repertoire. And he was left off the podium for this season’s The Best awards. It seems that voters do not see it often.
The former Independiente had a notable starting intervention. 7 minutes had passed when the man from Mar del Plata blocked an incredible ball from Mikkel Damsgaard. The Dane finished unmarked from the penalty spot after an error by the Polish Matthew Cash that had led to an overflow and cross behind the German Vitaly Janelt.
Dibu waited until the last moment and dove for the ball. He couldn’t hold her back, but he prevented a goal that seemed done and allowed his defense teammates to ward off the danger with a kick.
It seemed that Martínez was heading into another game with a clean slate. However, a poor clearance by Álex Moreno after a corner left the ball served to Keane Lewis-Potter, who crossed the ball and left the Argentine with no chance at the end of the first half.
Already in the second part, with the Villains Looking for the tie, Dibu showed off again to drown out a scream from Brentford. In this case, again with steel reflexes, he deactivated a point-blank header from Frenchman Yoane Wissa, who was left alone in front of the goal after a confusion by the visiting defense.
Victory, or rather a draw, seemed like an impossible mission for Aston Villa. However, everything opened when Ben Mee saw red after a tough tackle on Jamaican Leon Bailey. Referee David Coote had shown him a yellow card, but the VAR called him and ended up changing the warning to the expulsion.
Thus, Dibu’s team began to prowl the rival area. And that was how Álex Moreno got revenge and, with a header, scored the tying goal for Birmingham with 13 minutes left in the match at the GTech Community Stadium.
And not to mention 40 minutes into the game when Ollie Watkins scored a header after a corner that was deflected at the near post by Boubacar Kamara. A great goal.
Already in injury time, Martínez almost co-stars in a blooper. Bailey passed him the ball from almost half the court and Dibu reacted late. He tried to dive with his feet to control the ball, but he couldn’t and it ended up in a corner after brushing the outside of his goal. In that play, the Frenchman Neal Maupay hit the Argentine with a shoulder when he went after the ball to quickly take the corner kick and received a yellow card as a souvenir.
The fight continued and Martínez once again had a clash with Maupay that ended in a mini pitched battle. It seemed like he got a card, but the one who paid the price was Kamara, who attacked a rival. It was a very heated end to the game. But the important thing for Aston Villa is that it continues with a green wave and interspersed in the forefront of the Premier League.