The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife as Aston Villa prepare to host Nottingham Forest in the second leg of their Europa League semi final t...
The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife as Aston Villa prepare to host Nottingham Forest in the second leg of their Europa League semi final this evening. With the aggregate score standing at 0. 1 in favour of the visitors, the home side know they must produce a performance of utmost courage to overturn the deficit and book their ticket to the final. GoalZaza brings you comprehensive coverage from the 8pm BST kick off, a match that promises to be a battle of wits between two tactically astute managers. All eyes will be on the Nigerian internationals who will take to the pitch. For Nottingham Forest, the Super Eagles talisman in question is Taiwo Awoniyi, whose power and hold up play have been the lion's share of their attacking threat this season. He will be looking to give a good account of himself against a Villa defence that has been resilient in recent weeks. At the other end, the powers that be at Villa Park will hope that their own attacking unit can find the clinical edge that was missing in the first leg. It is a match that, in the scheme of things, could define the entire season for both clubs. The first leg was a dour affair, with Forest. �s narrow advantage coming from a solitary goal. But the return fixture at Villa Park is a different beast entirely. The home crowd will be roaring their team forward, demanding a performance that matches the grandeur of the occasion. Every pass, every tackle, every moment of possession will be scrutinised. The team that can hold their nerve and execute their game plan with precision will be the one to advance. At the end of the day, this is knockout football at its most raw and unforgiving. Back in Lagos and Abuja, the viewing centres will be packed to the rafters. Fans decked in the jerseys of their favourite European clubs will be glued to the screens, their shouts and groans echoing through the streets. For every goal that goes in, there will be a collective roar that shakes the very foundations of the building. And when the final whistle blows, the discussions will spill out onto the streets, arguments about who was the man of the match and which Super Eagles star truly delivered under pressure. It is the beautiful game, lived with the full passion of the Nigerian fan.
