'Bloke never misses': Mile Jedinak's insane one-touch cameo
Former Socceroos skipper Mile Jedinak scored with his only kick in the game as Aston Villa reached the League Championship final by beating West Bromwich Albion in a penalty shootout.
Villa beat West Brom 4-3 in Tuesday’s shootout after their semi-final finished 2-2 on aggregate following West Brom’s 1-0 win in the second leg.
Leeds United and Derby are in the other playoff semi-final. Their second leg is on Wednesday, with Leeds protecting a 1-0 lead at their Elland Road home.
The final is at Wembley Stadium on May 27.
Jedinak came on with a matter of seconds left in extra time and didn’t even touch the ball before called upon at the penalty spot.
Despite the fact he’d only played limited minutes over the course of the season, the former Socceroos captain showed nerves of steel to smash his spot-kick into the bottom corner of the goal.
The 34-year-old’s crucial cameo role didn’t go unnoticed by fans, who flooded social media to praise the Aussie legend.
🎉🎊 12 months after losing in the play-off final, @AVFCOfficial booked its place at Wembley for another crack at the @premierleague. Relive the EPIC shootout here and head to beIN CONNECT to Catch Up on the entire match | ▶️ https://t.co/oddGHuVIqD | #EFL | #EFLPlayOffs #WBAAVL pic.twitter.com/5vlb3axIlJ
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_AUS) May 14, 2019
Safe as houses. @AVFCOfficial subbed on Mile Jedinak in the 120th minute of their play-off against @WBA, and sure enough, he converted his penalty. ✅#AussiesAbroad pic.twitter.com/ODvwv1COWL
— Daily Football Show (@DFS_AUS) May 14, 2019
Jedinak! What a pen! Then the death stare! What a man #avfc
— The General Draper (@DraperGeneral) May 14, 2019
Who comes in cold 119 minutes into a playoff match (after not playing regularly for the entire season) and calmly slots home a penalty like an absolute boss? Mile Jedinak, that's who. You beast. #Jedi
— Chet Manley (@AstonVillanUSA) May 14, 2019
Jedinak took his penalty with a cigar in one hand and a pint in the other. What a guy.
— JackMcGinn 🏴 (@RHunter007) May 14, 2019
How good is it seeing Mile Jedinak coming on in the 120th minute of a 2 legged playoff the he hasn’t featured in to just calmly nail a pen to send your club to Wembley. #aussiesabroad #barba #WBAAV
— Jon Zalunardo (@jonno__z) May 14, 2019
Was a brilliant move from the villa manager to bring Jedinak on for the penalties. Bloke never misses
— Blake (@heavy_sunshine) May 14, 2019
Shout out to Jedinak! Hadn't even touched the ball, stepped up and slotted his pen away! Showing the years of experience he has! #avfc #utv
— Christopher Cheape (@C_Lioneye) May 14, 2019
Great work from smith to get jedinak on – 1 touch 1 goal
— Tim price (@tkpp0708) May 14, 2019
Mile Jedinak first touch, best penalty of the lot, he's a beast
— Simon Froggatt (@FroggattSimon) May 14, 2019
Jedinak still a king
— Cpfc_. (@_Eagles1905) May 14, 2019
Sorry but does Jedinak even have emotion? Bloke rocks on the pitch doesn’t touch the ball and puts a pen in the side netting. Incredible. #TheJedi
— Jack Shephard (@jackshep23) May 14, 2019
Surely jedinak MOM. One touch, one goal 😂
— Edward Lavis (@edlavis88) May 14, 2019
West Brom won 1-0 on the night at the Hawthorns to level the tie at 2-2 on aggregate thanks to Craig Dawson’s first half header.
However, the Baggies’ hopes of an immediate return to the top-flight were dented when captain Chris Brunt was sent-off 10 minutes from the end of normal time.
The hosts held out manfully during extra-time, but Villa goalkeeper Jed Steer saved West Brom’s first two penalties of the shootout from Mason Holgate and Ahmed Hegazi.
“There’s obviously a lot of luck involved but wow,” Steer told Sky Sports. “We practice penalties, so I think I must’ve faced a 100 a day the last few days.”
Conor Hourihane, Jedinak, Jack Grealish and Tammy Abraham kept their cool from the spot as Villa set up a Wembley meeting with Leeds or Derby on May 27th for a lucrative place in the Premier League.
Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds hold a 1-0 first leg leads over Frank Lampard’s Rams ahead of the second leg at Elland Road on Wednesday.
Villa missed out in the playoff final last year, losing 1-0 to Fulham and Grealish, who has been linked with a summer move to Tottenham, is keen to make amends in what could be his final game for the club.
“The crowd made it tough with the atmosphere but in the end I felt we ran out worthy winners,” said the midfielder.
“It’s no good getting to Wembley and falling at the final hurdle again, so fingers crossed. All of us are very hungry.”
Norwich City and Sheffield United were promoted automatically after finishing as the top two in the regular season.
