28 August,2009 07:24 AM IST | | AFP
Aston Villa crashed out of the Europa League last night losing a play-off tie to unheralded Rapid Vienna just three days after handing mighty Liverpool a humbling Premier League defeat.
In their second leg tie Martin O'Neill's team were undone by striker Nikica Jelavic grabbing a crucial away goal 14 minutes from time. A James Milner penalty and a second-half strike from John Carew had handed Villa a 2-1 aggregate lead and they were well on course for today's group stages draw.
But Jelavic, who had scored for Rapid in the first leg, had the final say. Villa's English Premier League rivals Everton and Fulham survived testing trips to reach the group stages.
Everton drew 1-1 with Sigma Olomouc in the Czech Republic for a 5-1 aggregate win.
Roy Hodgson's Fulham made the exhausting trip to eastern Russia where they went down 1-0 to Amkar Perm for whom Martin Kushev scored in the last minute, but the Londoners still secured a 3-2 aggregate victory.
