Aston Villa 3-3 Brentford – Premier League Summer Series report
Villa netted three times in 10 first-half minutes to close their Premier League Summer Series with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Brentford.
Ezri Konsa, Moussa Diaby and Matty Cash were on target at FedEx Field in Washington DC as Unai Emery's side went from 2-0 down to 3-2 up to finish level. Bryan Mbuemo, Jay Dasilva and Shandon Baptiste netted for Brentford.
Young Villa winger Jaden Philogene, who has impressed during the week-long series, was unable to convert at the far post from Cash's cross early on but a lively start at both ends saw Brentford awarded a penalty after eight minutes as Konsa caught Kevin Schade.
Mbuemo got the better of Villa's Emi Martinez with a cool slot into the right corner.
Ollie Watkins saw a heavy touch take the ball past the post as the striker rounded goalkeeper Mark Flekken as Villa caught the Bees with a high press.
Brentford doubled their lead midway through the first half, just before a cooling break in the scorching conditions, through Dasilva's stunning curled strike into the far top left corner from 20 yards.
Villa were back in it moments later, though, as defender Konsa strode forward from well inside his own half to convert a fine high finish against his former club.
Electric winger Philogene was a thorn in the Bees' side as Villa eyed a leveller.
And Emery's men made it 2-2 just after half hour as record-signing Diaby made it two in two for Villa in America with a cool low left-footed finish under Flekken.
Rampant Villa then led for a first time as right-back Cash lashed in with his left foot from the right side of the box from John McGinn's pass.
McGinn sent a strike from the edge of the box inches wide in first-half stoppage time.
Watkins should have put his side further clear after the break but fired well over from Diaby's low ball into the box.
The clash entered a lull on the hour with a raft of substitutes before Baptiste turned in to equalise after Keane Lewis-Potter cracked the crossbar in the second half.
An exciting contest rather meandered to a draw as the sides shared the spoils in the Summer Series curtain call.
Villa: Martinez, Cash (Chambers, 72), Konsa (Carlos, 45), Mings, Pau (Digne, 60), McGinn (Tielemans, 60), Kamara (Bailey, 60), Luiz, Philogene (Buendia, 60), Diaby (Coutinho, 72), Watkins (Archer, 72).
Subs not used: Olsen, Marschall, Revan, Kellyman, Young.
