A late goal from Brad de Jesus helped Fulham’s under 21s come from 2-0 down to a draw a Premier League 2 thriller with Aston Villa 3-3 at Bodymoor Heath this evening.
Hayden Mullins side, who drew 1-1 with FC Nordsjælland on Friday night to progress from the group stages of the Premier League International Cup, showed commendable character to fight back from being two goals down after a brilliant brace from Villa hotshot Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba. They scored twice in two minutes through Aaron Loupalo-Bi and Terrell Works and recovered from the setback of Bradley Burrowes to snatch a stoppage time point through de Jesus’ late, late finish.
Villa began the stronger of the two sides with Eddy Nsasi needing to make a last-ditch intervention to prevent Kadan Young’s cross from providing the opening goal. Poor marking from the subsequent corner afforded Jimoh-Aloba his first sight of goal but the classy number ten sent his free header high over Marco Underwood’s bar.
The Fulham goalkeeper was soon called into action and Underwood, deputising for the injured Alex Borto, made a superb reflex save to keep out Young’s curling effort. But there was nothing Underwood could do to prevent Jimoh-Aloba from opening the scoring three minutes later when the attacking midfielder latched onto a lovely pass from Burrowes and drove a fierce shot under the Fulham keeper’s body to hand Villa the lead their impressive start more than merited.
Kristian Sekularac almost marked his return from a hamstring strain with the equaliser but the Swiss under-21 midfielder found only the side netting after a promising run took him past a pair of startled Villa defenders. Damon Park then headed a lovely cross from Lemar Gordon just wide of the far post as the visitors came agonisingly close to levelling matters.
Underwood then did well to readjust when the considerable wind got hold of Aidan Borland’s audacious forty-yard free-kick and nearly carried into the top corner. But Jimoh-Aloba soon dazzled his way beyond the Fulham defence again after receiving an incisive pass from Borland and slotted past the helpless Fulham goalkeeper to double the home side’s advantage.
But Fulham’s heads hardly dropped and it took just ten minutes for the Cottagers to carve out a way back into the match. Loupalo-Bi notched his fifth goal in his last four outings as he raced onto a through ball from Lemar Gordon, charged through the heart of the Villa defence and kept his composure to beat Sam Lewis in a one-on-one.
Loupalo-Bi then produced a beautiful backheel to set up Works for the equaliser with the winger taking his time and finding the net after a couple of exquisite touches to silence the home crowd. But Villa restored their advantage just two minutes later with Burrowes blasting a firm finish past Underwood after Fulham’s defence had been prised upon by a clever ball from Travis Patterson.
The visitors came out all guns blazing in the second half with Tom Olyott testing Lewis, who made a fine diving save as the creative midfielder pulled the trigger from just inside the box. Sekularac ruffled the side netting with another effort and substitute Jon Esenga saw a powerful drive bravely blocked on the line by Thierry Katsukunya. At the other end, Jimoh-Aloba came close to completing an extraordinary hat-trick but his shot from the edge of the box whistled over the crossbar.
Fulham kept pushing until the end and got their reward in the second minute of stoppage when Works worked the space for a cross from the left flank and de Jesus gleefully turned in at the back post.
ASTON VILLA UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Lewis, Rowe, Katsukunya, Amundsen-Day, Taylor, Hemmings (Barnes 76), Borland, Pierre (Lutz 67), Jimoh-Aloba, Young (Patterson 33; Pavey 76), Burrowes. Subs (not used): L. Emery.
BOOKED: Katsukunya, Barnes.
GOALS: Jimoh-Aloba (8, 24), Burrowes (38).
FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Underwood; de Jesus, Nwoko, Nsasi, Park (Esenga 46); Donnell, Sekularac (Wingate 80); Gordon, Works, Olyott (Lanquendoc 57); Loupalo-Bi. Sub (not used): Varney.
BOOKED: de Jesus.
GOALS: Loupalo-Bi (34), Works (36), de Jesus (90+2).
REFEREE: Richard Eley.
