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Guzan saves potential game-tying penalty in Aston Villa victory

Brad Guzan 2 (Getty Images)

Brad Guzan is turning into a penalty kick-stopping machine.

With the score 1-0 against Blackburn in the third round of the FA Cup, Guzan guessed correctly to deny David Dunn's potential equalizer from the penalty spot, and five minutes later, the Villains scored the eventual game-winner. The 3-1 victory pushed Aston Villa to the fourth round of the tournament for just the third time in nine seasons.

Guzan is likely to start a second consecutive game on Tuesday when Aston Villa plays Blackburn in the first leg of the semifinal round of the Carling Cup.

What did you think of Guzan's penalty kick save? Just how good do you consider Guzan? Think he will put in a repeat performance on Tuesday?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. You misunderstand, I was kidding that he has become so notorious for saving penalties that people forget the other things he does. I like Guzan a lot. I just wish he was starting somewhere, but that will come.

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  2. Edu came into the game in the 13th minute due to injury, so is getting a lot of time in a key game for Rangers, not many rivalries bigger than the Old Firm

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  3. Yes it was on Bornstein’s mess up, but if Howard had simply kept his position in the net, it wouldn’t have been an issue, or at least not as much of an issue.

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  4. “The Villa keeper failed to hold onto an inswinging corner from substitute Pedersen and Kalinic had the simple task of tapping the ball into an empty net.”

    Kosh. You simply don’t understand the arc of a goalkeeper’s career. Anyone can guess correctly on a PK. Seasoned professionals simply do not drop inswinging corners from 2nd half subs.

    Should something happen to Howard. We better turn to Hannamen or Keller.

    IMO, Guzan should be no where near this roster.

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  5. Also, I was just watching some fsc and saw two interesting things. One hulk might go to Man U..and Two….Hull might be interested in freddy edu? I know these are just trade talks, but could that be the big decision for freddy?

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  6. i agree with Goran above. this is a blessing to have three great keepers. I do hate having to cut one from the w.c. roster. Friedel has played well enough to challenge Howard. Guzan would be taken by 1/3 of the W.C. teams including England as a starter. Its tough for old Bradley to cut one, but it’s similar to Dunga having to cut Ronaldiniho or Hulk from the Brazilian team…a blessing to have so much talent.

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  7. Was that the Bornstien screw up goal? If so, that’s not on Howard at all but on Bornstien. That save by Tim at the end was ridiculous, as was Jozy’s header.

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  8. Why is it that when one of our boys does something good in a match across the pond, someone always has to come on here and bring up something negative about them? from his past, no less.
    “Oh, he saved a penalty? Well, I remember him being abused in his rookie year…”
    Give the guy a break, sheesh!

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  9. Point well taken (your personal “insults’ notwithstanding). You are well within reason to question the omission of the error and ask for a full report.

    It’s just that your post came off as negative to me. My mistake, as I grow tire of the negative and careless comments on the boards and blogs that constantly berate our guys and thier efforts, even as they fight against odds that few of us recognize or are familiar with. It’s tough to be an American football professional in the world. So I may have projected. Like I said, I wasn’t having a go. Just an attempt to state a different opinion…respectfully, if I dare to add.

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  10. Guzan needs to stay with Villa and will get his chance to start in two seasons.

    However if Howard does get injured and it’s between the two, I’d take the older Brad any day.

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  11. screw you I didn’t poo-poo (honestly how old are you) on the guy’s efforts, I in fact said “Guzan deserves props”

    I felt it was worth mentioning that there was a goal that was entirely Guzan’s fault; the fact that it wasn’t mentioned seems absurd as it was an integral part of the game and kept Blackburn within striking distance. I understand that Guzan is not as perfect me (sarc) but the fact is Guzan was not immortal in this game as was portrayed by SBI (I don’t mean this as an attack on SBI; it is my favorite soccer site)

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  12. First I’d fire Bob Bradley for still having a sub left on the bench after a full game and the extra 30 min. of added time.

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  13. Ives:

    Villa and Blackburn haven’t played either leg of the Carling Cup. Tuesday will be the first leg. The second leg is on January 20th.

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  14. To all of the naysayers–he’s young, he’s good. He’ll get better and eventually be our solid #2 for a long time. It’ll be similar to Keller/Friedel. It’s a blessing to have these two in the pool at the same time.

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  15. I think Villa has handled Guzan very well and I hope he stays. I don’t see Friedel playing more than another EPL season. Villa’s future looks very bright and it would be cool to see Guzan be a part of it.

    That being said, if Friedel is in the longer term plans, then their will be plenty of suitors for Guzan. If American field players are often underestimated, the opposite seems to hold true for our keepers, and Guzan is the real deal.

    Watching him go head to head in penalties against Gigi Buffon in the Peace Cup Final and come out on top was awesome. The kid can play.

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  16. The first leg of the Carling Cup semis is January 5. Second leg is January 20. The first leg didn’t end scoreless because it hasn’t happened yet.

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  17. I think a loan move to another club would be great for Guzan. Otherwise I think he’ll get frustrated playing behind Friedel, who shows no signs of losing his edge. Guzan would challenge for a starting nod on many EPL teams right now. Look at Gomes’ and Cech’s errors of late (and great play at times to be sure). He needs minutes and he’ll lock down a spot for years. Believe, my friends in England watch Howard and Dempsey and worry…

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  18. Apparently Freddy Adu is close to securing a loan deal to Aris…nothing like a sojourn in Greece to rejuvenate the careers of Americans abroad…

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  19. Guzan, Kljestan, Bornstein–would any of them have advanced so far in their careers so quickly if not for the catastrophic entrance Chivas USA made in MLS?

    What a stroke of luck to wind up where they did.

    When the backups Chivas Guad. sent north fell apart, these rookies were thrown to the wolves and forced to be “the guy”–no choice–and while the team sucked for a couple years, these guys got dozens of incredibly valuable games.

    You can still see the scar tissue on Guzan’s lip from that collision with Ryan Suarez. And that’s a reminder of how battered he was the first couple years of his career. Yet look how it turned out.

    I know he’s still young, but you have to wonder where Chris Seitz would be right now if he had been thrown to the wolves on a bad team the way Guzan was instead of riding the bench behind established pros. We’ll see what happens in Philly.

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  20. yea kosh, i agree with you.
    alot of people i come into contact with who are fans of the game talk nothing but bad and ill things about the american effort in the worlds most popular and in my opinion’s best game. Maybe this is bitterness or absolute ignorance but these people really can no longer turn a blind eye to the performances and talent of our team. With the likes of dempsey, howard, guzan and the many others plying their trade, it speaks for itself. Brad’s a great keeper and every time he plays he gets noticed for it because he does well. I cant wait for him to become the number 1 after friedel so he can show his potential playing every game. I live timmy but brad isnt as far behind as a lot of people think, over the next couple years this will be great for the american goalkeeping situation.

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  21. I’m a big Villa supporter, and there has been a lot out there about them looking to sign another back up keeper. MON loves Guzan from all I’ve heard out of the club. I wonder if a loan might not be in the offing for this transfer window or next to get him more playing time in England in prep for replacing Friedel in a season or two.

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  22. Guzan has been fantastic for Villa, not only but especially stopping penalties.

    Yeah he made a bad mistake on the corner, but so what, as noted he’s not getting regular EPL game time given Friedel’s steady strong play.

    You can tell his coach is thrilled Villa’s set at keeper til 2020 at least between Brad the Elder & Younger.

    Tim’s clearly number 1 for USMNT, but I have no worries if the Younger needs to make an appearance next summer for whatever reason.

    I guess it’s no surprise keeper is still USMNT’s deepest/strongest position.

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  23. Nominating a name change to Brad “All I Do Is Stop Penalties” Guzan.

    He’s the soccer Chris Carter. (all i do is catch touchdowns)

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  24. And Tim Howard came out to early on El Salvador’s goal against us at home, you wanna negate his efforts in that game(especially his late game save on Reyes)?

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  25. Big ups to El Guzano. I still remember when he was being abused 5-0 in his rookie year with the Goats. Ronnie O’Brien loved hitting the big, long distance bombs on the kid. Talk about being thrown into the fire, but the kid toughed it out (or that abuse toughened him up) and he is every bit class for it. Dude has massive potential, he just needs to keep doing the business, keep getting better.

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  26. So here’s the situation: We are in the knockout rounds of the WC, we have one sub left, game goes to pk’s, do you swap Guzan for Howard?

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  27. well give him a break. Mistakes that will happen if you are only getting 10 games in all competitions. He is a solid #2. I am not happy if Howard gets hurt, but I am not going to freak out.

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  28. Is it that necessary to poo-poo all over a guy’s efforts? In 90 min, the dude stops a potential game tying penalty, makes huge saves and helps his team fight for the W but that’s never enough around here. Dude I’m not having a go at you, heck I don’t even know you. But it seems every time Ives or one of his writers tries to give our boys overseas some love there’s always a sting of posts that do nothing more than exaggerate the negative or the mistakes. It’s like our guys have to be what no soccer player in the world is – flawless (yeah even Rooney makes bad back passes). I know Guzan may not be as perfect as you in every way possible, so please give him a break on this one, as he is, afterall, mortal.

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  29. hold on…. I watched the game and the Blackburn goal was entirely Guzan’s fault. He deserves props for the penalty save but to not mention the fact that he pretty much allowed the goal that kept Blackburn in the match is strange Franco

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