Christian Benteke scored a potentially priceless hat-trick as Aston Villa avoided slipping into the Premier League relegation zone by drawing 3-3 at home to Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday.
After Matt Phillips put QPR ahead, a Benteke double gave Villa control, only for second-half goals from Clint Hill and Charlie Austin to leave QPR on the brink of a win that would have taken them out of the bottom three at their opponents’ expense.
But Benteke completed his treble with an inch-perfect 83rd-minute free-kick to take the Belgian striker’s tally to seven goals in five games and leave Tim Sherwood’s side three points above the bottom three.
“Christian Benteke was very good. The second goal especially was excellent,” said Villa manager Sherwood.
“We need him between now and the end of the season, but it was disappointing to give away scruffy goals.
“It might be a very important point. Only time will tell, but we need to win games. It is a point in the right direction though.”
Chris Ramsey’s QPR moved above Burnley on goal difference, but they are now two points from safety having played a game more than fourth-bottom Hull City.
“The point was better for them,” said Ramsey, who worked as Sherwood’s assistant at Tottenham Hotspur last season.
“We would have loved to have won the game and been above the line. Based on the performance in the second half, we are disappointed we have not got three points.”
Villa started brightly at Villa Park, but it was QPR who took a seventh-minute lead when Bobby Zamora’s feathered cross was headed in by Phillips.
However, Villa quickly forced the visitors back and drew level just three minutes later when Benteke was allowed to drift infield from the left and curled a shot past QPR goalkeeper Rob Green.
Green saved twice from 19-year-old midfielder Jack Grealish, making his first league start for Villa, and Sandro blocked from Ron Vlaar before Benteke put the home side ahead in the 33rd minute.
Gabriel Agbonlahor beat Sandro to the ball and freed Benteke, who eluded Hill and scored with his right foot.
Agbonlahor headed just wide from Leandro Bacuna’s cross shortly before half-time and with Villa continuing to dominate early in the second half, Ramsey took action by introducing Karl Henry and Armand Traore.
The changes had an immediate effect as within three minutes the visitors were level, with 36-year-old Hill claiming his first Premier League goal by heading in Phillips’s corner.
Twelve minutes from time, Phillips turned creator again, wriggling past Kieran Richardson and crossing for Austin to slam home his 17th goal of the league campaign.
But Benteke had the final say by bending a free-kick over the QPR wall and in off the post past the despairing dive of Green.
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Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Afghanistan fixtures
- v Australia, today
- v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
- v New Zealand, Saturday,
- v South Africa, June 15
- v England, June 18
- v India, June 22
- v Bangladesh, June 24
- v Pakistan, June 29
- v West Indies, July 4
Grand slam winners since July 2003
Who has won major titles since Wimbledon 2003 when Roger Federer won his first grand slam
Roger Federer 19 (8 Wimbledon, 5 Australian Open, 5 US Open, 1 French Open)
Rafael Nadal 16 (10 French Open, 3 US Open, 2 Wimbledon, 1 Australian Open)
Novak Djokovic 12 (6 Australian Open, 3 Wimbledon, 2 US Open, 1 French Open)
Andy Murray 3 (2 Wimbledon, 1 US Open)
Stan Wawrinka 3 (1 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 1 US Open)
Andy Roddick 1 (1 US Open)
Gaston Gaudio 1 (1 French Open)
Marat Safin 1 (1 Australian Open)
Juan Martin del Potro 1 (1 US Open)
Marin Cilic 1 (1 US Open)
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
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Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,600hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.4seconds
0-200kph in 5.8 seconds
0-300kph in 12.1 seconds
Top speed: 440kph
Price: Dh13,200,000
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,500hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.3 seconds
0-200kph in 5.5 seconds
0-300kph in 11.8 seconds
Top speed: 350kph
Price: Dh13,600,000
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Fixtures
Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am
Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am
Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am
Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
FIVE%20TRENDS%20THAT%20WILL%20SHAPE%20UAE%20BANKING
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Hotel Data Cloud profile
Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5