Coach Josep Gombau praised his side’s resilience as Aston Villa Under-19s secured a 2-1 victory over Puskás Akadémia to reach the UEFA Youth League last 16.
The Young Lions took control early in the second half with two quick goals, though a late strike from the hosts made for a tense finish.
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Despite the pressure, Villa held firm to seal their place in the next round, leaving Gombau pleased with their performance.
“We are very happy with the win, and I think that we deserved it,” he said post-game.
“I think that the team did very well the first 75 minutes. It’s true, that the last 15 we struggled a little bit, but it’s normal in youth football.
“After being 2-0 up with a bit of extra confidence, maybe we lost a bit of our structure. But at the end, the important thing is that we did a very good game, and got the result.”