Nate Scott

For the Win

What started out as a sickening incident turned into a beautiful one, after Jack Grealish was first attacked by a fan during a game, then responded by scoring a beautiful game-winning goal.

In the first half of a rivalry game between Aston Villa and Birmingham in the English Championship (the level just below the Premier League), Villa’s Grealish was sucker punched by a Birmingham fan who ran onto the field and snuck up behind him.

Grealish’s teammates, Birmingham City players and security quickly surrounded the fan, who was escorted off the field and arrested. Grealish admirably kept calm after the incident, and received love from members of both teams for having to endure what he did.

Here was the attack:

Grealish then got his revenge in the second half, when he scored a left-footed goal to give Villa a 1-0 lead away from home.

Villa would hold on to the lead and win the game, 1-0.

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After the game, Birmingham City issued a statement: