Brentford knock Aston Villa out of Carabao Cup on penalties as Elliott ends drought and Sancho misses chance

Brentford eliminated Aston Villa from the Carabao Cup after winning a penalty shootout 4-2 following a 1-1 draw, prolonging Villa’s troublesome start to the season.

Harvey Elliott opened the scoring for Villa, finishing from close range to end a run of five matches without a goal for Unai Emery’s side. Aaron Hickey equalised for Brentford in the second half with a volley after the visitors failed to deal with a long throw, and the match was settled from 12 yards when Brentford converted four spot kicks to Villa’s two.

Emery made seven changes to his starting XI and gave a full debut to Elliott. The midfield recruit’s effort deflected under the Brentford goalkeeper to put Villa ahead, marking the club’s first goal since the final day of last season. The goal offered a brief respite but did not paper over broader problems: Villa continued to look uncertain in possession and unsteady without the ball.

Jadon Sancho, on a season-long loan from Manchester United, made his first competitive appearance for Villa since scoring in last season’s Europa Conference League final but struggled to find rhythm. The 25-year-old drifted inside from the left and failed to link effectively with Ian Maatsen. Sancho missed a presentable chance early in the second half when his shot curled narrowly wide, and on the evening as a whole the evidence suggested a longer road back to his best.

Brentford rotated heavily as well, making 10 changes to their starting XI from their weekend selection, but still produced a disciplined performance. The Bees’ set-piece threat from long throws again played a decisive role; Hickey’s equaliser came after a wide delivery, a sequence that mirrored recent matches in which Brentford exploited aerial strengths from the flank.

Sepp van den Berg, the only player retained from Brentford’s midweek side, stood out at the heart of the Bees’ three-man defence. The Dutch centre-back combined physicality with composure on the ball and troubled Villa’s front line, forcing a good save from Villa’s No. 2 goalkeeper Marco Bizot with a first-half header.

The penalty shootout followed a second half and extra time in which both managers shuffled personnel and sought to protect players ahead of league commitments. Brentford converted four of their spot kicks, while Villa missed two, ending their involvement in the competition.

The exit increases scrutiny on Villa ahead of a Premier League trip to Sunderland on Sunday, extending questions about confidence and cohesion after a goalless run that stretched back to the final day of last season. Emery faces selection decisions in the short term, with Sancho’s match sharpness likely to be measured in minutes rather than starts while the manager manages fixtures across domestic and European competitions.

For Brentford, progression gives manager Thomas Frank scope to rotate in coming rounds and rewards the depth within a squad that has shown the ability to maintain defensive organisation despite heavy rotation. Van den Berg’s performance underlined the club’s recent recruitment successes and offered a reminder of the transfer market value of established performances at the top level.

Both clubs now turn focus to their league schedules. Villa will seek a response in the Premier League, while Brentford can take confidence from a cup victory secured without several regular starters.