Youth League: Aston Villa 0-1 Bayern Munich

Aston Villa suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich in the UEFA Youth League at Bodymoor Heath.

The Young Lions were more than a match for their German opponents throughout a hard-fought contest, with chances at a premium in a goalless first half.

Triston Rowe and Mason Cotcher came close to opening the scoring as the hosts made a strong start to the second half before Bayern edged ahead through Jonah Kusi-Asare on 64 minutes.

Villa poured forward in search of a leveller and agonsingly saw Thierry Katsukunya glance a header inches wide in stoppage time as an equaliser eluded them.

Josep Gombau’s team began their campaign with a defeat against Young Boys while Munich’s youngsters had overcome Dinamo Zagreb 2-1.

The visitors, who reached the quarter-finals last season, started brightly and forced Sam Proctor into a pair of fine saves with six minutes on the clock.

Travis Patterson and Ben Broggio were causing Bayern problems down Villa’s left-hand side, but the hosts were struggling to open their opponents up despite bossing possession.

A cagey game burst into life just past the half-hour mark when Proctor denied Michael Scott and Villa swept forward at great pace, working the ball into the box and seeing a Broggio shot blocked by David Daiber.

The lively Scott came close to capping a fine solo run, in which he left three defenders in his wake, but slid his effort just wide of Proctor’s far post.

Villa flew out of the blocks at the start of the second half, pressing high and creating a chance for Cotcher, who poked wide under pressure from a Bayern defender.

Moments later Rowe burst into the box from right-back and smashed an effort that was palmed over by Leon Klanac as the home side piled on the pressure.

After clinging on in the opening stages of the half, the German side composed themselves and hit the front via a flowing counter-attack after 64 minutes.

Captain Adam Aznou curled a pass behind the Villa backline and into the path of Kusi-Asare, who placed a first-time shot past Proctor.

Bradley Burrowes and Omar Khedr were summoned from the bench to add fresh legs and creativity to Villa’s attacking play, but the final ball was missing at the end of several good openings.

As the game moved into the final ten minutes, Broggio bore down on goal but saw his shot blocked by a superb last-ditch slide tackle from Aznou.

Rowe sent a shot narrowly wide before Jimoh-Aloba went even closer following a mazy solo run, blasting a shot that was tipped over by Klanac.

Katsukunya glanced a header inches wide in stoppage time as Villa pushed without reward for an equaliser.

Aston Villa: Proctor, Patterson, Routh, Katsukunya, Rowe, Borland, Hemmings, Jimoh-Aloba, Pavey (Khedr 70’), Broggio, Cotcher (Burrowes 70’).

Unused subs: Hammond, Fortes, Simpson, Mulley, Carroll, Bloomfield, Lynskey.