Arsenal have suffered a last-gasp defeat away to Aston Villa. Substitute Emiliano Buendía smashed in the 2-1 in the very last second of the match, after a spectacular goalmouth scramble.
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Aston Villa stunned league leaders Arsenal with a dramatic 2-1 victory at Villa Park, settling a gripping Premier League clash in literally the final second of the match. In a game that swung several times in intensity and momentum, substitute Emiliano Buendía wrote his name into the headlines with a last-gasp winner after a chaotic goalmouth scramble.
From the first whistle, the atmosphere in Birmingham was electric. The home fans sensed an opportunity to test the title favourites and Unai Emery’s side responded with an aggressive and brave approach. For the home team, Ian Maatsen was the only Dutchman in the starting line-up, operating with energy and adventure down the flank. Donyell Malen and Lamare Bogarde began on the bench, while Marco Bizot had to give up his place between the posts to the returning Emiliano Martínez, who was greeted warmly by the Villa supporters.
On the Arsenal side, Mikel Arteta again had to improvise in defence. Jurriën Timber started at the heart of the back line, tasked with marshalling Ollie Watkins and dealing with Villa’s direct threats in behind. Regular starters Gabriel and William Saliba were still unavailable due to injuries, which inevitably affected Arsenal’s usual stability without the ball. Even so, Arsenal tried to impose their patient, possession-based football from deep, building through the lines with Martin Ødegaard as the main creative outlet.
The first big chance of the match went to Aston Villa. Ollie Watkins peeled away cleverly from Timber, using his strength and movement to create separation just outside the box before driving into the area. One on one with David Raya, Watkins tried to slide the ball into the far corner, but the Arsenal keeper stood tall and reacted superbly to keep the scores level. It was an early warning sign for the visitors, who looked vulnerable whenever Villa broke quickly.
Eight minutes before half-time, Villa finally made their pressure count. A seemingly routine situation turned dangerous when right-back Matty Cash made an intelligent run to the back post. A lapse in concentration by Eberechi Eze, who lost track of Cash’s movement, proved fatal. The cross from the opposite flank bounced awkwardly in the box, and Cash reacted quickest, timing his run perfectly and unleashing a crisp volley at the far post. Raya could only watch as the ball flashed past him and into the net. Villa Park erupted, and Emery’s team went into the closing stages of the first half with a deserved 1-0 lead.
Arsenal tried to respond before the interval, pushing their full-backs higher and asking more of Bukayo Saka in one-on-one situations. Still, the equaliser would not come, and the visitors left the pitch at half-time knowing that significant changes were needed if they were to rescue the game.
At the break, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta did not hesitate to act. He made bold and sweeping changes, with Eze and Mikel Merino staying behind in the dressing room. In their place came Victor Gyökeres and Leandro Trossard, two players with a clear attacking mindset. The message from Arteta was obvious: more intensity, more movement, more risk in the final third.
The effect was almost immediate. In the first ten minutes of the second half, Trossard became the focal point of Arsenal’s attacking play. First he found space on the edge of the box and fired a shot straight at Martínez, who gathered at the second attempt. Moments later, the Belgian drifted inside again, received a low pass from Ødegaard and curled an effort just wide of the post. Villa were suddenly on the back foot, struggling to maintain the compact shape that had served them so well in the first period.
Arsenal’s growing pressure eventually paid off. Bukayo Saka, who had been relatively quiet in the first half, started to find more room on the right wing. After combining neatly with Ødegaard, he whipped a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Trossard, showing the instincts of a true poacher, arrived at the perfect moment and guided the ball into the net from close range. It was a classic Arsenal goal, crafted by patient build-up and precise movement, and it brought the visitors level at 1-1. The equaliser shifted the entire mood of the contest and for a spell it looked as though Arsenal might go on to complete the turnaround.
Last-gasp drama at Villa Park
With super-sub Donyell Malen introduced from the bench, Aston Villa began to adjust their approach. Malen’s pace and willingness to attack the space behind the defence forced Arsenal to think twice about committing too many players forward. However, as the second half wore on, Villa found it increasingly difficult to contain the leaders. Arsenal began to dominate possession and pushed the home side deeper and deeper into their own half.
Martin Ødegaard was often the catalyst for everything positive Arsenal produced. The Norwegian dropped into pockets of space between Villa’s midfield and defence, constantly turning and looking to thread passes into dangerous areas. One of the best moments of the half came when Ødegaard collected the ball just outside the area, took a delicate touch and unleashed a perfectly struck shot that seemed destined for the top corner. Martínez, showing why he is considered one of the top goalkeepers in the league, reacted brilliantly and managed to tip the ball just over the bar with his fingertips.
Villa, however, remained a threat on the break. Malen had a huge opportunity to restore the lead for the hosts. Released by a clever through ball, the Dutch forward used his speed to escape the attention of Timber and raced into the box. The angle was slightly tight, but he still had time to pick his spot. His low shot, though, rolled agonisingly wide of the post by about half a metre. The collective gasp from the Villa fans said everything about how close he had come.
As the clock ticked into the final minutes, the match descended into pure drama. Arsenal continued to pile forward, knowing that a win would further strengthen their position at the top of the table. Villa, roared on by the home crowd, tried to relieve pressure with occasional counters, yet it felt as though the game was heading towards a draw that both sides might ultimately have accepted.
Then came the decisive moment in the very last second of the match. After a long ball into the Arsenal box was only half-cleared, chaos erupted in front of David Raya. What followed was a seemingly endless goalmouth scramble, with bodies from both teams throwing themselves at the ball in desperate attempts to clear or convert. Deflections, half-blocks and ricochets kept the ball alive until it finally broke kindly for Emiliano Buendía.
The 28-year-old Argentine, who had only been on the pitch for a few minutes, reacted in an instant. Without hesitation, he drove a powerful shot through the crowded penalty area and into the net, leaving Raya with no chance. Villa Park exploded into celebration, while Arsenal’s players sank to the turf in disbelief. There was barely time for the restart before the referee blew for full-time.
With Buendía’s last-second strike, Aston Villa secured a dramatic 2-1 win over Arsenal, a result that could have major implications for the title race. The victory lifts Aston Villa up to second place in the Premier League table, now just three points behind Arsenal. For Emery’s men, it is another statement performance that reinforces their credentials as genuine contenders for the top spots. For Arsenal, it is a painful reminder of how ruthless the Premier League can be, especially in a stadium as intense as Villa Park, where one loose ball in the final second can change everything.
Updated: 04:08, 6 Dec 2025
