Despite it being a dead rubber for Rosenborg, and Ajax having the ability to win the group, it was the Norwegian side who took all three points with a 2-0 victory in Amsterdam tonight, leaving our own Young Lions at the top of the pile.
This means that we’ll have the advantage of playing the single-legged quarter final at Villa Park, more than likely against Marseille. There’s just one game left in Group 1, Marseille will face Celtic with second place
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Highlights from the U19s 3-0 romp over Ajax at Villa Park with the inimitable Gary Gardner grabbing all three goals and the match ball.
[Email subscribers can find the video here if it doesn’t appear]
Gary Gardner scored all three goals in a comprehensive victory over Ajax U19s in the Young Lions’ final group stage match of the NextGen Series at Villa Park tonight, guaranteeing a place in the quarter finals next year.
Ajax, who are now bumped down to second place in the group, have one final game; Rosenborg at home on November 29th. If Ajax fail to win in Amsterdam, Villa will win the group, earning home advantage for the next round, and will
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The NextGen Series has announced the brackets for the quarter finals on their Twitter feed and it sets up a possible trip to Barcelona for our Young Lions. Due to domestic fixtures, the quarters finals will be played over just one leg with each of the group winners earning the advantage of playing at home:
QF1:
Group 1 Winner
vs
Group 3 Runner-up
QF2:
Group 2 Winner
vs
Group 4 Runner-up
QF3:
Group 3 Winner
vs
Group 1 Runner-up
QF4:
Group 4 Winner
vs
Group 2 Runner-up
Group 2 has already been wrapped up with Sporting winning
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Fenerbahce recorded their first win in the NextGen Series with a 1-0 victory over visiting Rosenborg today, leaving our own U19s in a very strong position to qualify for the next round.
With just two Group 3 games remaining, the table now looks like this:
Team
P
W
L
D
F
A
GD
PTS
Ajax
4
3
0
1
9
2
7
10
Aston Villa
5
3
2
0
12
7
5
9
Rosenborg
5
2
3
0
9
11
-2
6
Fenerbahce
6
1
4
1
5
15
-10
4
Ajax come to Villa Park on November 22nd before hosting Rosenborg themselves on November 29th.
Since the fixtures are not as structured as the Champions League, the competition NextGen aims to emulate, the group stage won’t be
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Extended highlights from the U19s disappointing NextGen Series loss in Norway last week. Derrick Williams and Daniel Johnson were on the scoresheet for Villa, but two goals from Ole Kristian Selnæs and one from Mushaga Bakenga sealed the victory for the home side.
[Also available here]
In somewhat unfortunate timing (the U19s lost 3-2 just last night in Norway) video of the Young Lions 4-1 win over Rosenborg at Villa Park has just been published. This home win was played on November 2nd.
Graham Burke, who was missing last night through suspension, scored twice. Gary Gardner, who was also missing last night as he’s away with England U21s, and Michael Drennan grabbed a goal apiece.
[Email subscribers can watch the video here]
Villa’s final game in the group stage
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Qualification for the knock-out phases of the NextGen series will have to wait after Villa’s U19s failed to get a result in Norway, losing 3-2 to Rosenborg.
Derrick Williams cancelled out Ole Kristian Selnæs’ 29th minute opener from a Samir Carruthers corner in the 39th minute. Daniel Johnson sent the visitors into the break 2-1 ahead just minutes later with a wicked shot from a tight angle.
Selnæs struck again to tie the game up in the 70th minute with his
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You’re probably already aware that the U19s comprehensively beat Rosenborg 4-1 in the NextGen Series at Villa Park last night, but it was a little over a week ago that they ground out an important three points in Turkey, beating Fenerbahce 2-1.
The video has only just been published, and it’s not the best of quality, but you get a glimpse of some of the future stars in action. The goals came in the second half, Derrick Williams put Fenerbahce on
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