Aston Villa 2 Sheffield Wednesday 0 - Report

The Ivory Coast international netted in each half as Steve Bruce's side defeated the Owls to record one of their most impressive wins of the season.

Kodjia opened the scoring when he headed home Conor Hourihane’s cross following a short-corner routine.

Wednesday had Vincent Sasso sent-off early in the second half for a studs-up challenge on Hourihane, before Kodjia made the game safe late on.

Analysis

Kodjia now has 15 goals for the season as his finishing proved the difference for a Villa in a win which will rank as perhaps their finest of the campaign to date, particularly considering the challenges they faced.

With his options already limited by injuries, boss Bruce then saw Henri Lansbury limp out of the warm-up, while Nathan Baker was forced off inside the opening 25 minutes.

Yet with right-back James Bree playing at right midfield and midfielder Mile Jedinak in the heart of the defence, his team found a way to win.

Wednesday, who missed some good chances to break the deadlock before Kodjia opened the scoring, will point to the dismissal of Sasso as the game’s key moment.

Referee Lee Probert’s decision to brandish a red card so infuriated Owls boss Carlos Carvalhal that he too was sent to the stands for his protests, adding another talking point to an eventful afternoon at Villa Park.

With Gary Gardner having replaced Lansbury in the starting XI, it was all change again within 25 minutes of the start as Baker, one of only two Villa players to start both fixtures against the Owls this season, was forced off.

He was replaced by the fit-again Alan Hutton as Bruce opted to switch to a 4-4-2 formation which saw Jedinak move to centre-back and Albert Adomah paired up front with Kodjia.

By that stage, the visitors will have felt they should have been ahead but Villa keeper Sam Johnstone stood tall to deny Sam Winnall with his legs after home skipper James Chester had lost possession in his own half. Sasso then had the ball in the back of the net after a corner only to be denied by the offside flag.

Adam Reach also volleyed over as Wednesday continued to look the more dangerous side, yet it was Villa who took the lead on 34 minutes as Kodjia grabbed his 14th goal of the season.

There was no mistaking the irony as, having infuriated their manager by conceding from short-corners at Newcastle and Huddersfield, Villa netted through one of their own. Bree and Hourihane exchanged passes before the latter crossed for Kodjia to head home at the far post.

Within a minute Wednesday should have been level but Ross Wallace fired over from ten yards out after Reach’s cross had been dummied by Winnall.

If the visitors were perhaps a little frustrated to be trailing at the break, their mood was soon far worse after Sasso was given his marching orders within three minutes of the restart.

Referee Probert wasted no time in brandishing the red card after the centre-back had gone flying into a challenge with Hourihane, yet the decision incensed Carvalhal, who was sent to the stands for his protestations.

Hutton missed the chance to deepen the Owls misery soon after when he fired wide from close range, while Winnall gave warning of the threat the visitors still posed, poking wide at the other end.

Hourihane also went close to doubling Villa’s lead when he slid a shot wide of the far post after neat build-up play.

The hosts were then given another scare when Jordan Rhodes fired over after momentarily escaping the attentions of Jedinak.

But with 11 minutes remaining Kodjia grabbed his second to ease any nerves. Hourihane started the move out on the right wing and the ball eventually came to Adomah who played in Kodjia, the striker rounding Owls keeper Keiren Westwood before firing home.

Key moments

14 Villa keeper Sam Johnstone denied Sam Winnall the opener, saving with his legs after James Chester had been guilty of losing possession.

19 Mile Jedinak beats Wednesday keeper Keiren Westwood to an inswinging Conor Hourihane free-kick but his header flies wide.

34 GOAL Kodjia heads Villa in front with his 14th goal of the season, nodding home Conor Hourihane’s cross after a short-corner routine.

35 Ross Wallace squanders an immediate chance to level for Wednesday, firing over from Adam Reach’s cross.

48 RED CARD Wednesday’s Vincent Sasso is shown a straight red card for a clattering challenge on Conor Hourihane. Owls boss Carlos Carvalhal is also sent to the stands after protesting the decision.

50 Almost two for Villa. Albert Adomah cuts in from the right and his pull-back is fired wide by Alan Hutton.

53 Sam Winnall almost levels for Wednesday but pokes wide after Reach gets away down the left.

69 Conor Hourihane slides a shot wide of the far post after neat build up play from Villa.

79 GOAL Kodjia gets his second to give Villa breathing space. The striker collects Albert Adomah’s through ball and rounds visiting keeper Westwood before sliding home.

Teams

Villa (4-1-4-1): Johnstone, Bree, Chester (c), Baker (Hutton 25), Taylor, Jedinak, Adomah (Elphick 82), Gardner, Hourihane, Amavi, Kodjia (Davis 86) Subs not used: Richards, Blackett-Taylor, O’Hare, Bunn (gk).

Sheff W (4-4-2): Westwood, Hunt, Loovens © (Semedo 75), Sasso, Fox, Wallace, Jones, Bannan, Reach, Winnall (Fletcher 73), Rhodes Subs not used: Palmer, Pudil, Buckley, Nuhiu, Wildsmith (gk).