It’s been a succesful week in the world of Aston Villa, with four victories out of four across three men’s sides.
With the first team in Premier League and Champions League action, along with a UEFA Youth League outing for our Under-19s and an FA Youth Cup third-round clash for our Under-18s, the past seven days have brought triumphs in different shapes and sizes.
Here, we take a look back on a week where we secured progression in the UEFA Youth League and FA Youth Cup, while putting maximum points hauls on the board in the Premier League and Champions League…
Emphatic start to Youth Cup campaign
Aston Villa U18s 6-0 Accrington Stanley U18s – Bodymoor Heath – FA Youth Cup third round – Friday, December 6
Jimmy Shan’s Under-18s got their FA Youth Cup campaign off to the best possible start at the third-round stage a week ago, with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Accrington Stanley at Bodymoor Heath.
After a cagey opening against the category three side, Ben Broggio’s opener eased the Young Lions, as a red card for the visitors enabled them to kick on and finish the job.
Further strikes from Mason Cotcher, Rodrigo Fortes, George Hemmings (2) and substitute Luka Lynch successfully booked Villa’s place in round four.
Back-to-back league wins for Unai Emery’s Villans
Aston Villa 1-0 Southampton – Villa Park – Premier League – Saturday, December 7
Last Saturday saw Villa secure a second successive Premier League win on home soil, Jhon Durán’s first-half strike sealing a 1-0 victory over Southampton – coming on the back of our 3-1 triumph over Brentford.
Emery’s side were tested against the team at the bottom of the table, who threatened at Villa Park, ensuring the Villans had to be on their A-game to record a welcome clean sheet.
Durán made no mistake when bearing down on goal in the 24th minute to put the hosts ahead. Their lead could have been added to in the second period but the narrow scoreline was enough to lift the Villans back up to sixth in the table.
Progression in the UEFA Youth League
RB Leipzig U19s 3-4 Aston Villa U19s – RB-Training Center Cottaweg – UEFA Youth League – Tuesday, December 10
Villans were treated to an incredible afternoon of UEFA Youth League football in the lead up to the Champions League victory on Tuesday evening, as Josep Gombau’s Young Lions secured their place in the knockout phase of the competition.
An action-packed ending saw Villa’s under-19s side come away with a 4-3 victory, scoring two goals in added time to turn their fate having been staring elimination in the face just minutes prior.
They took the lead just five minutes in through Bradley Burrowes, but the hosts rallied to spin the tie and hit the front on two separate occasions.
Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba struck his second of the game to restore parity again in the 93rd minute, before Ben Broggio’s penalty – the final kick of the game – sealed a memorable victory for the youngsters in dramatic fashion.
Another successful Champions League night
RB Leipzig 2-3 Aston Villa – Red Bull Arena – UEFA Champions League – Tuesday, December 10
And the Youth League outing certainly proved a sign of things to come, as Unai Emery’s side played their part in another topsy-turvy affair at the Red Bull Arena on Tuesday evening.
Taking the lead inside three minutes through John McGinn, Villa were twice pegged back by RB Leipzig, Loïs Openda levelling proceedings before Christoph Baumgartner again restored parity after Jhon Durán’s stunner had put Villa 2-1 in front.
But up stepped Ross Barkley off the bench, with five minutes of normal time remaining, to send a deflected effort in, sparking scenes of jubilation among the Villans in the away end.
The win capped off a perfect week for the club, as Emery’s men put another three points on the board in the Champions League to take them back into the top eight of the league phase heading into the final two matchdays.
