Ramona Petzelberger brought Aston Villa’s 10-match run of home defeats to an end with a headed equaliser against Reading in the Women’s Super League.
Villa’s awful home form looked set to continue when Justine Vanhaevermaet scored a 69th-minute penalty after Maz Pacheco’s foul on Amalie Eikeland.
But Villa levelled seven minutes later when 18-year-old Laura Blindkilde crossed for Petzelberger to nod home.
Villa stay 10th in the table, seven points behind seventh-placed Reading.
Carla Ward’s side were denied a winner when captain Remi Allen was thwarted in the closing stages but she will be relieved Villa’s run of defeats at home in all competitions has finally ended.
With four league games remaining – including one at leaders Arsenal and two against top-three hopefuls Tottenham and Manchester United – Villa still need points to guarantee another season in the WSL.
However, their place will be secure for another campaign if bottom club Birmingham lose at fourth-placed Manchester City on Sunday (14:00 BST).
Reading are without a win in six WSL games and will be disappointed they did not hold out for all three points after Belgium international Vanhaevermaet put the Royals ahead from the spot.
At 0-0, Reading’s Denmark midfielder Sanne Troelsgaard fired wildly over and Natasha Dowie shot straight at Hannah Hampton.
Villa also created chances with Petzelberger blazing over the bar, Jill Scott heading another wide and Allen twice denied by Grace Moloney before Reading took the lead.
Line-ups
Aston Villa Women
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Hampton
- 2Mayling
- 6Asante
- 42CorsieBooked at 89mins
- 33Pacheco
- 20ScottSubstituted forLittlejohnat 45′minutes
- 19Blindkilde-Browne
- 4Allen
- 7Lehmann
- 9Gielnik
- 10Petzelberger
Substitutes
- 3Sargeant
- 8Arthur
- 11Boye-Hlorkah
- 12Hutton
- 16McLoughlin
- 17Haywood
- 22Hayles
- 23Rogers
- 31Littlejohn
Reading Women
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Moloney
- 11Harding
- 14Cooper
- 5Evans
- 28Woodham
- 27Vanhaevermaet
- 4Peplow
- 51TroelsgaardSubstituted forRoweat 62′minutes
- 10DowieSubstituted forHarriesat 62′minutes
- 6Rose
- 9Eikeland
Substitutes
- 2Bryson
- 12Harries
- 21Stewart
- 23Rowe
- 31Roberts
- 37Primmer
- Referee:
- Lauren Impey
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Aston Villa Women 1, Reading Women 1.
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Second Half ends, Aston Villa Women 1, Reading Women 1.
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Rachel Corsie (Aston Villa Women) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Chloe Peplow (Reading Women).
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Attempt missed. Emily Gielnik (Aston Villa Women) header from very close range is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Ramona Petzelberger with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Aston Villa Women. Conceded by Natasha Harding.
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Attempt missed. Rachel Rowe (Reading Women) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Justine Vanhaevermaet with a headed pass.
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Attempt blocked. Gemma Evans (Reading Women) header from the right side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Natasha Harding with a cross.
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Corner, Reading Women. Conceded by Rachel Corsie.
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Rachel Corsie (Aston Villa Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Rachel Corsie (Aston Villa Women).
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Deanne Rose (Reading Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt saved. Remi Allen (Aston Villa Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Laura Blindkilde-Browne.
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Foul by Ruesha Littlejohn (Aston Villa Women).
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Rachel Rowe (Reading Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Anita Asante (Aston Villa Women).
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Emma Harries (Reading Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Alisha Lehmann (Aston Villa Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Deanne Rose (Reading Women).
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Foul by Remi Allen (Aston Villa Women).
