Ajer’s goal earns Brentford a point at Villa

Kristoffer Ajer’s goal earned Brentford a point at Villa Park.

Yehor Yarmoliuk gave the Bees an early lead but former Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson equalised just 88 seconds later.

But in the second half, Brentford themselves hit back with an immediate equaliser, after John McGinn had put the hosts ahead, and they remain unbeaten this season.

After Igor Thiago’s cross was cleared as far as Yarmoliuk, the Ukrainian crashed in the opener, only for the Bees to switch off, enabling Jackson to tuck away Emiliano Buendía’s deflected cross.

Both teams had chances before Villa went ahead when McGinn’s effort took a deflection off Ajer.

But defender Ajer then took the bull by the horns, dashing forward on the flank and firing home after combining with Jaidon Anthony.

Brentford: Kelleher; Kayode, Ajer, Schuster (Hickey 46), Diouf, Lewis-Potter (Ouattara 67); Janelt, Yarmoliuk (Jensen 67); Anthony (Wilson 85), Thiago, Schade (Sangare 52).
Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Fredrick, Van den Berg, Carvalho.