With three straight wins in Saturday’s Group stage games, Aston Villa booked themselves a quarter-final place for Sunday’s fixtures and we took on Leicester City in a repeat of 2017’s final.
Revenge was obviously in the air but sadly for us it wasn’t to be as we lost out 2-0 to them in the quarter-final tie.
Morning, Villans 👋#AVFC U23s have progressed through to the #HKSoccer7s Shield final later today. This just one of a great few goals that got them there… 👏#PartOfThePride pic.twitter.com/BPquHxqr5U
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 20, 2018
With the makeup of the competition, that saw us bounce through to the ‘Shield’ semi-finals where we met up with Kashima Antlers. A 3-0 victory in that game saw us through to the Main Shield Final and we took a 2-1 win over West Ham United to bring some silverware home for our efforts this time around.
Well done, lads! A good end to a long and fruitful season.#HKSoccer7s Shield winners 2018! 👏🏆#PartOfThePride #AVFC pic.twitter.com/HV3tHVl05i
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 20, 2018
The overall Main Cup Final was won this year by Newcastle United as they overcame Glasgow Rangers, after putting out Leicester in their semi-finals.
⚽️ The winning strike that secured #AVFC the #HKSoccer7s Shield!
Started by right-back turned goalkeeper @mitchellclark99, set up by @Jack_Clarke10 and finished by @jordcox10. 👏#PartOfThePride pic.twitter.com/b1oKP6aLdT
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 20, 2018
⚡️ Great team goal in our final #HKSoccer7s match earlier…
Quality link-up play from @CalOhare and @KelseyMooney99. 👌#PartOfThePride #AVFC pic.twitter.com/kuAjMPE9tL
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 20, 2018
🗣 U23s coach Mark Delaney reflects on #HKSoccer7s Shield success and a good season overseeing our Young Lions. He, like the rest of us, now can’t wait for next weekend! #PartOfThePride #AVFC pic.twitter.com/5zSZGww3jZ
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 20, 2018
🗣 Great to lift some more silverware today, @Viktor1898? 😅
Reflections from our goalkeeper, who had an outstanding #HKSoccer7s tournament. 🙌#PartOfThePride #AVFC pic.twitter.com/VhN5NpbjiX
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 20, 2018
🗣 @mitchellclark99 with the last word from Hong Kong. On playing in net in extra-time of the final, the tournament and the U23s' season as a whole. 👊#PartOfThePride #AVFC pic.twitter.com/Cg5iW2KSxF
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 20, 2018
Maybe not the win we’d have wanted, but it’s still another piece of silverware for our youngsters this season to add to the Premier League Cup win we gained this year, and of course narrowly missing out on Play-Off promotion into the Premier League 2 Division 1 tier.
Onwards and upwards and congratulations to all involved.
