Football

Aston Villa's Champions League hopes received a major boost as they fought back from a 3-1 deficit to secure a thrilling 3-3 draw against Liverpool on Monday. The result leaves Villa on 68 points with one game remaining, five clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who have two matches still to come.The match started disastrously for Villa when goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez fumbled a tame Harvey Elliot cross into his own net in the second minute. However, Villa responded well and equalized through Youri Tielemans 10 minutes later.Liverpool regained the lead in the 23rd minute through Cody Gakpo, but Villa refused to give up. Jarell Quansah headed in off the post from a free kick in the 48th minute to make it 2-2.Liverpool looked set to secure all three points when Quansah scored an own goal in the 65th minute. However, Villa substitute Jhon Duran had other ideas. The Colombian striker scored twice in the final five minutes to earn Villa a vital point.Duran's first goal came in the 85th minute when he latched onto a loose ball in the Liverpool area and fired home. He then completed the comeback in the 88th minute with a stunning strike from outside the box.The draw leaves Villa in a strong position to secure a top-four finish and a place in next season's Champions League. They will play their final game of the season at Crystal Palace on Sunday, while Tottenham end their campaign at relegated Sheffield United.