The Young Lions overcame League One side Blackpool in an incredible penalty shootout ending 18-17 with George Hemmings sealing the win and the club’s place in the next round of the tournament.
Gombau praised the mentality of the team after the game as Villa progressed as the only Premier League academy team left in the tournament.
“We know to try to get a good result here, we needed to do the job very well. We needed to be together, and we needed to run.
“In youth football, you play more when you have the ball, but in this kind of game, when you play against professional teams, you need to think how to defend, how to be compact and together, and this was the idea yesterday in training.
“I think the lads played very well, and everyone showed passion and intensity that you need to win a game.”
Villa already triumphed over Bolton Wanderers on penalties in the group stage with Gombau stating that mentality is key in moments like those especially with the age of his team.
“The mentality of the team was very good. After that, the penalties, also, we showed character. Very young lads were taking the shooting, 16-17 years old, facing this kind of pressure that you need to score to win. And it’s not one, it’s 19 penalties.
“We practice every time we play a cup competition, because we know it can end like this.
“The players are getting used to this, and you can see sometimes, even when we don’t ask them to do it, they are practicing for a cup competition, which is very good. It’s important they have this aim.
“We need to be happy, and I think it’s a good reward for the work that they put in, and a nice way to finish this year.
"Now, we can have a few weeks off for Christmas with a good flavour.”