Platt goal puts Villa in control

DAVID PLATT conjured up memories of English football's greatest European nights as Aston Villa humiliated Italian giants Inter Milan at Villa Park. Great Dane Kent Nielsen cracked the intimidating reputation of Giovanni Trapattoni’s World Clip All-Stars with a thunderous opener in the 14th minute.

But it was Platt who destroyed them in the second half. He hit the bar before driving through to crack his ninth goal of the season in the 67th minute to make Villa favourites for the second leg in the famous San Siro Stadium in a fortnight.

The England midfield star was fired by the chance to avenge the biggest disappointment of his short career, and he took it mercilessly.

Faced with three of the West Germans who ended his World Cup dream in the semi-final in Turin this summer, Platt was inspired to a Titanic display that eclipsed Lothar Matthaus in midfield and drove Villa to a victory to rank alongside their triumph over Bayern Munich in the 1982 European Cup final.

With a full hand of Italian internationals to complement their German contingent. Inter arrived with an arrogant swagger, content to let Villa run themselves out and then hit them with incisive counterattacks.

But such was the English underdogs’ determination that the script was soon torn up, and Villa’s biggest crowd for a decade was soon celebrating a magnificent breakthrough.

Platt had a shot blocked, but when the ball came back to Cascarino he simply rolled it into the path of centre half NIELSEN, whose searing rightfooter from 30 yards gave the record-breaking Zenga not a prayer.

With Cascarino terrorising the Italians in the air and electric heeled Winger Tony Daley hounding them down both flanks, Villa were always on top and almost grabbed a second in the 28th minute when Zenga went full length to restore his reputation to deny Daley.

Inter were stung out of their defensive frame of mind and Nigel Spink saved well from Fausto Pizzi, while German full back Andreas Brehme dipped a 20-yarder just over his bar.

But Villa knew the value of a second goal, and pursued it avidly after the break. Twice Cascarino was only a whisker away from damaging crosses, and then Platt connected with Chris Price’s header that volleyed against the top of the bar.

But in the 67th minute Villa Park went wild.

Cascarino and the busy Daley hounded the Inter defence into a poor clearance from Spink’s long goal kick, and the ball arrived with Gordon Cowans. He produced a marvellous illustration of his understanding with PLATT, chipping the ball over for the England star to beat the offside flag perfectly, and clip the ball wide of Zenga.

Zenga produced a desperate save 10 minutes from time to deny Daley the third goal which would have given Inter no way back in the second leg.

Platt said: “We came out determined to go at them. We have been excited about this game ever since the draw was made and we got the result we deserved.”

Asked about Daley's contribution, Platt said: “After he watched us on Saturday Giovanni Trapattoni (the Inter coach) said he thought that Tony had played very well, and anybody with Tony’s pace is always going to cause trouble.”

Giovanni Trapationi praised Villa's UEFA Cup demolition job on his side last night and declared: "Europe has been mutilated by the absence of English sides."

Trapattoni warned, however, that Villa would face a sterner test in the San Siro stadium in the return leg:

“It will be a different game. We have paid the penalty tonight. But we will be be back and Villa will find it much harder.

"I thought there were occasions when we should have scored tonight and punished Villa. But it was not to be."

Trapattoni was not too dismayed with Inter's display but he was clearly impressed with Villa.

”It was a very exciting game. David Platt and Tony Daley caused us problems," he added.

"It was superb to be playing against an English club side again and to see the improvement in English football."

Villa boss Jozef Venglos praised his entire team:

"I think it proves that everybody in Europe has to have respect for English soccer again."

"David Platt has showed again that he is World class player.

“But we had other players out there who showed that they are top performers as well.

"I am proud to be manager of Aston Villa.

“We have excellent players and it showed tonight.

"But. although we have a two goal advantage I would not say it makes us favourites to go through.

"We will have to repeat the performance in San Siro and it will not be easy."

Kent Nielsen celebrating the most important goal of his life - a spectacular 25-yard drive which set Villa on the victory trail against Inter - said:

"I don't get many goals, and most seem to come from inside the penalty area, so to score one like that was fantastic for me.

"I can't think of a more vital goal in my career," said the Danish international.

But Nielsen also admitted that he was left with little option for his first goal of the season:

“Tony Cascarino set me up but there was nothing else I could do except try the shot.

“There was nowhere to go. I saw the chance and went for it."