20 March 2008
VIDEO: Semi-Final - Aston Villa 2-3 Chelsea

Watch the highlights from the Semi-Final second leg at Villa Park as Chelsea take on Villa for a place in the Final.

Aston Villa

2-3

Chelsea

Forrester 4, 61

(3-4 agg)

Rodriguez 18, Kakuta 24, Phillip 71


The FA Youth Cup Sponsored by E.ON
Semi-Final, Second Leg 
7pm, Wednesday 19 March 2008
Villa Park, Aston Villa FC
Click here for latest results 

Chelsea sealed their place in the Final of The FA Youth Cup on Wednesday night, courtesy of a thrilling 3-2 victory over Aston Villa.

After sharing a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Stamford Bridge, there was everything to play for at Villa Park, but it was the Londoners who edged it and they will now take on Manchester City in the Final, their first appearance at that stage since 1961.

It had all started so brightly for the home side too, as Harry Forrester (left) gave Villa an early lead in the fourth minute as he struck home a low shot from around 25 yards.

In a game where both sides created plenty of chances, Chelsea drew level soon after when Sergio Tejera Rodriguez was picked out by Gael Kakuta to slot home from the edge of the box.

Six minutes later and the Blues took the lead, with Kakuta scoring a fine individual effort after darting down the left, cutting inside and beating Villa goalkeeper Parish with a low shot.

Villa had further opportunities to equalise ahead of half time, with Forrester coming close on a couple of occasions and the hosts started the second half brightly too, with skipper Ciaran Clark seeing an effort fly narrowly wide of the target.

A deserved leveller arrived soon after though, when Forrester grabbed his second of the night with a rising shot after earlier seeing an effort blocked.

Chelsea didn't let that affect them though and bounced back again when substitute Adam Phillip nicked the ball off Clark before beating Parish to restore their advantage.

The game ended with both teams reduced to ten men, with Lee Sawyer shown a red card for a foul on Forrester after 80 minutes and he was followed off by Villa's Matthew Roome in the dying moments after he was adjudged to have fouled Phillip.

That was the only tarnish on a fine night of football though, with two equally matched teams giving a good account of themselves throughout.

Aston Villa: Parish, Bradley, Baker, Roome, Clark, Hofbauer, Albrighton, Bannan, Delfouneso, Collins (Weiman, 74), Forrester.

Subs not used: Clancy, Dau, Grocott, Flanagan.

Chelsea: Taylor, Twumasi, Bruma, Mellis (Gordon, 48), Van Aanholt, Woods (Phillip, 68), Stoch, Sawyer, Nielsen (Taiwo, 81), Rodriguez, Kakuta.

Subs not used: Heimann, Nouble.

Attendance: 10,891