Aston Villa stunned Arsenal with almost the final kick of the match on Saturday, as Emiliano Buendía scored a dramatic winner in the 95th minute at Villa Park. The goal ended Arsenal’s long unbeaten run and tightened the Premier League title race.
The match had been tense and fast from the start, and the ending delivered even more chaos. With the ball bouncing around Arsenal’s box, several players went to ground as Villa pushed for a final chance. Youri Tielemans was first denied by David Raya, and Buendía’s first strike was blocked. The ball then fell to Boubacar Kamara, who managed to move it back towards Buendía. Now on his feet again, the midfielder curled a clean first-time shot into the corner to spark wild celebrations.
Villa players and substitutes flooded the pitch, while Arsenal players dropped to the turf in frustration. The defeat was Arsenal’s first since August, ending a long run that had kept them top of the league.
The game had opened with Villa taking the lead through Matty Cash, who fired past Raya after getting on the end of Pau Torres’s cross. Arsenal struggled early, and Eberechi Eze was replaced at halftime after a quiet first half.
Arsenal improved strongly after the break. Leandro Trossard came on and quickly changed the tempo, scoring the equaliser inside the six-yard box after a move led by Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka. Arsenal then created more chances, and Martin Ødegaard forced a sharp save from Emiliano Martínez.
But Villa stayed in the fight. Donyell Malen came close, and the home side kept pressing as the clock ran down. Their persistence paid off with Buendía’s late winner, giving Villa their ninth win in 10 league games.
The victory lifted Villa into the top three and continued their strong home form. For Arsenal, the loss tightened the title race, cutting into their advantage and raising the pressure as the season moves deeper into December.
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