Carling Cup Draw: QPR Drawn Away to Aston Villa - Recalling The Two Teams' Last Encounter

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In the Carling Cup Third Round Draw, QPR will play Aston Villa (at Villa!) Matches will be played the week of September 22.

Could be tough, depending who Aston Villa actually play on the night: - Aston Villa's Current First Team Squad!


Aston Villa Official Site - Villa Host QPR Villa will play host to QPR in the third round of the Carling Cup.
The tie will be played in the week commencing September 22.
Villa last played Rangers at home in the competition in September 2004, Darius Vassell, Juan Pablo Angel and Nobby Solano on target in a 3-1 win. Aston Villa

[Match Report of that last time QPR played Aston Villa: September 22 2004: Aston Villa 3 QPR 1 . On that last occasion, Villa had the almost-QPR goalie Postma on the bench; QPR's team, managed by Ian Holloway include Gnohere, Santos, Edgill and Branco. There was also some very unfortunate action leading to the very sad death of an Aston Villa Steward.

The two teams that day:
QPR Day, Bignot, Shittu, Gnohere (Santos 73), Edghill, Rowlands (Cook 74), Johnson (Furlong 46), Branco, McLeod, Gallen, Cureton. Subs Not Used: Bircham, Cole.
Booked: Bignot.
Aston Villa Sorensen, De la Cruz, Mellberg, Samuel, Whittingham, Solano, McCann, Hendrie (Hitzlsperger 74), Barry (Berson 84), Angel, Vassell (Cole 60). Subs Not Used: Postma, Davis. Goals: Vassell 29, Angel 38, Solano 78.


Sporting Life Match Report
Aston Villa overcome a spirited second-half revival from Ian Holloway's side - spearheaded by former Birmingham striker Paul Furlong - to book a place in the third round of the Carling Cup.
Villa had looked to be cruising into the third round after first-half goals from last season's reunited strike force of fit-again Juan Pablo Angel and Darius Vassell.
A soft goal handed Rangers new belief and the half-time introduction of Furlong caused their defence the kind of problems which had not been evident in the opening 45 minutes.
On another day Furlong could easily have been walking away with the match ball as three golden chances fell his way - only for a bad luck and brave goalkeeping by Thomas Sorensen to deny him.
But Villa will be happy to have booked their place in the next round - there is a fierce determination amongst David O'Leary's squad to improve on last season's semi-final appearance.
Gavin McCann impressed in the centre of the park while Ulises de la Cruz and Nolberto Solano posed many of Villa's attacking threats.
Rangers, who kicked off lying eighth in the Cola-Cola Championship, showed six changes from the side which had won at Brighton on Saturday - and they made a positive start.
A throw-out by Sorensen was cut out by striker Jamie Cureton and the Villa goalkeeper was relieved to see the resulting goalbound shot cannon off Jlloyd Samuel - deputising for the ill Mark Delaney in central defence - for a corner.
The first clear-cut opening fell to Rangers striker and skipper Kevin Gallen after 17 minutes when he found himself with time and in space only 12 yards out but he failed to make proper contact with his shot and Sorensen was able to save.
Villa were clearly not firing on all cylinders although Gareth Barry was only just off target with a stooping header at full-stretch at the far post from a Solano free-kick.
But after 29 minutes the Barclays Premiership side went ahead through Vassell's first goal since the win over Southampton on the opening day of the season.
Martin Rowlands gave possession away and some neat one-touch passing by Angel, Barry and Lee Hendrie sliced open the QPR defence before Vassell coolly tucked the ball wide of goalkeeper Chris Day into the corner of the net.
Rangers defender Marcus Bignot became the first player to be booked after 38 minutes for a challenge on Barry - and it was to prove costly for his side.
Solano floated in a free-kick from close to the byline in front of the Holte End and the QPR marking was non-existent as Angel headed home his second goal of the season at the far post.
The tie looked all over at that stage but two minutes into the second half a defensive mix-up gave Rangers an unexpected life-line.
Defender Dan Shittu lofted an innocuous looking ball into the Villa penalty area but Sorensen was not positive enough in coming out to claim the ball.
Villa skipper Olof Mellberg was forced to intervene to try and retrieve the situation but he only succeeded in clipping the ball past Sorensen to leave Kevin McLeod with a close range tap-in.
Villa full-back de la Cruz struck the post with a fierce low effort but Sorensen had to make amends for his earlier error to prevent Furlong hitting the target.
The Dane blocked a close-range header from the veteran striker and also an attempted lob from eight yards out by the same player.
The most impressive save came when Sorensen somehow denied Furlong at point-blank range after he has looked certain to convert a low cross from Jamie Cureton.
Solano wrapped up the game for Villa with 14 minutes remaining with a curling free-kick past Day from 20 yards out.
O'Leary then gave a first taste of senior action to summer signing Mathieu and only the legs of Day denied him a debut goal.
Teams:
Aston Villa Sorensen, De la Cruz, Mellberg, Samuel, Whittingham, Solano, McCann, Hendrie (Hitzlsperger 74), Barry (Berson 84), Angel, Vassell (Cole 60). Subs Not Used: Postma, Davis. Goals: Vassell 29, Angel 38, Solano 78.

QPR Day, Bignot, Shittu, Gnohere (Santos 73), Edghill, Rowlands (Cook 74), Johnson (Furlong 46), Branco, McLeod, Gallen, Cureton. Subs Not Used: Bircham, Cole.
Booked: Bignot.
Goals: McLeod 48.
Att: 26,975 Ref: G Salisbury (Lancashire). Sporting Life




Complete Round Three Draw
Arsenal v Sheffield United
Brighton & Hove Albion / Manchester City v Derby County
Burnley v Fulham
Portsmouth v Chelsea
Blackburn Rovers v Everton
Rotherham United v Southampton
Swansea City v Cardiff City
Ipswich Town v Wigan Athletic
Stoke City v Reading
Leeds United v Hartlepool United
Watford v West Ham United
Manchester United v Middlesbrough
Liverpool v Crewe Alexandra
Aston Villa v Queens Park Rangers
Sunderland v Northampton Town
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
- Complete Third Round Draw




Aston Villa's First Team Squad
1 Brad Friedel Goalkeeper
2 Luke Young Defender
3 Wilfred Bouma Defender
4 Steve Sidwell Midfielder
5 Martin Laursen Defender
6 Gareth Barry Midfielder
7 Ashley Young Striker
9 Marlon Harewood Striker
10 John Carew Striker
11 Gabriel Agbonlahor Striker
13 Stuart Taylor Goalkeeper
14 Nathan Delfouneso Striker
15 Curtis Davies Defender
16 Zat Knight Defender
17 Moustapha Salifou Striker
18 Wayne Routledge Midfielder
19 Stiliyan Petrov Midfielder
20 Nigel Reo-Coker Midfielder
21 Nicky Shorey Defender
22 Bradley Guzan Goalkeeper
26 Craig Gardner Midfielder
27 Isaiah Osbourne Midfielder
29 Stephen O'Halloran Defender
48 Nathan Baker Defender