Ajer's late equaliser keeps Brentford unbeaten in 2-2 draw at Aston Villa

Kristoffer Ajer scored in the 79th minute to earn Brentford a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa on Saturday, preserving the visitors' unbeaten start to the Premier League season. Sky Sports reported that the equaliser came just two minutes after John McGinn had put Villa ahead, leaving Unai Emery's side with one win from their first six league matches.

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Brentford had taken the lead themselves after 10 minutes. According to the club's match report, pressure on Tyrone Mings allowed Kevin Schade to win possession and find Igor Thiago. His cross was cleared only as far as Yehor Yarmoliuk, who struck a half-volley past Zion Suzuki to reward the visitors' early attacking pressure.

Villa's response was almost immediate. McGinn advanced through midfield and picked out Emiliano Buendia, whose shot was deflected towards Nicolas Jackson. The striker finished from close range to make it 1-1. Both sides had therefore scored inside the opening 12 minutes, although neither could add another goal before the interval despite further Villa opportunities.

Caoimhin Kelleher played a significant part in keeping Brentford level. The goalkeeper stopped Jackson's effort just before half-time and then recovered to deny McGinn on the follow-up, the club reported. After the restart, Suzuki prevented Brentford from retaking the lead when he saved Schade's volley following pressure from Thiago on Victor Lindelof.

Villa eventually moved in front in the 77th minute when McGinn's shot took a deflection off Ajer and went in. But the defender quickly contributed at the opposite end, advancing into the left side of Villa's penalty area to score the equaliser. Sky Sports' report described another rapid response in a match where neither team managed to protect its lead.

The point kept Brentford in the top four after six unbeaten league games, while Villa remained without a home league victory this season. Speaking after the match, Brentford coach Keith Andrews said his side could have made more of opportunities in the closing stages, according to Sky Sports. He nevertheless acknowledged that either team could have won.