*Villa overcome Slaven threat* Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie’s double strike against Slaven Belupo put his side into the semi-finals of the Intertoto Cup. Villa were trailing 2-1 from the first leg against their Croatian rivals but Hendrie quickly levelled matters with his opener after 19 minutes. Paul Merson and Hassan Kachloul combined to provide midfielder Hendrie with the chance to score with a powerful shot. Kachloul was in lively form and his fellow Villa debutant Peter Schmeichel comfortable saved a rare opening for the visitors’ after 28 minutes. The Midlands side were in control of the game and almost added a second after 39 minutes. Full-back Mark Delaney broke down the right and slid the ball in for Steve Stone, whose first-time shot was well-saved by keeper Ivica Solomun. But the Belupo keeper could not stop Hendrie scoring his second of the game four minutes before the break. Paul Merson used the space afforded him on the right and made the Croatians pay by providing Hendrie a superb cross. Hendrie initially miscontrolled the ball but managed to toe-poke a shot past Solomun with the aid of a deflection off Pavo Crnac. The woodwork denied Hendrie a hat-trick before the visitors gave Villa a scare. Dodik beat two challenges to burst into the area only to take the ball too wide. And substitute keeper Peter Enckelman, who replaced Schmeichel at half-time, had no problems in pushing the ball wide for Alan Wright to clear.