The second half of Man City-Aston Villa was a see-saw affair with Man City staking a 2-0 lead, only to see Aston Villa claw back to equalize and then give back the lead on a heartbreaker in the final minute of regulation. Aleksandar Kolarov curled this just inside a slight crevice in the Aston Villa wall and inside the post for a brief 2-0 Manchester City lead. James Milner faked like he would take the kick, but it was Kolarov's left foot that got the call and answered.Three minutes later, Villa got the goal back on a bouncing strike from Tom Cleaverly. Joe Hart came off his line to punch a ball out of danger and got hung up in the middle of the penalty area, with no chance to stop the ball Cleaverly pounded into the ground and sent skipping by him.
Then, with five minutes left, Carlos Sanchez equalized for Villa off a corner kick. Charles N'Zogbia took the corner and Fernando headed it away from the goal, but right to Sanchez, who twisted his body and whipped it in for the Villa's second goal of the half.
It wouldn't last however, as City scored off a corner of their own in the 89th minute. Kolarov sent it in and Fernandinho scissor kicked it out of the air, nutmegging the hapless Brad Guzan in the process and making things very cozy for Villa's chances of relegation.
[NBC]
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