Superb Young Terriers’ display against a top Spanish side
- Huddersfield Town Under-19s win 2-0 against Sevilla in Spain
- Winger Aaron Rowe scores both goals in superb second-half display
- Average age of the starting line-up is just over 18
Huddersfield Town’s Under-19 side put in a top-class second-half display to defeat host Sevilla’s Under-19 team by two goals in Spain on Thursday morning.
After a challenging first 45 minutes against the side that is leading the Spanish Under-19 league, Dean Whitehead’s youngsters turned on the style in the second-half to record another fantastic win on central European soil.
Winger Aaron Rowe (pictured above), who travelled with Head Coach Jan Siewert’s First Team to Portugal recently, netted both goals; the second stunning effort. However, every player from the squad, which has an average age of under 18 years old, deserved credit for a great performance.
Whitehead’s men had to show real resilience in the opening 45 minutes, with Sevilla enjoying most of the attacking play.
However, Rowe was still involved early on. Playing on the right of a front three, the 18-year-old looked to have been fouled twice in the Sevilla penalty area inside the first quarter of an hour, only for the referee to turn away the appeals.
Sevilla’s number 10, the real danger man for the hosts, was at the heart of the action, but thankfully his team missed the target with a few presentable opportunities.
New goalkeeper Jacob Chapman’s first save of note came in the 22nd minute and was routine, whilst the young centre back pairing of Oran Thompson and Mustapha Olagunju – the latter in only his second start at Under-19 level – along with Rarmani Edmonds-Green in a holding midfield role, did their best to keep the home side at bay.
Chapman did well again in the 34th minute to come out and block an effort at source after Thompson had got his head to a Sevilla corner.
Whitehead introduced Under-17 midfielder Jaheim Headley at half-time, moving Edmonds-Green to his usual centre back role, and Town came flying out of the blocks.
The opener came just five minutes into the half, with Rowe the scorer. The central midfield duo of captain Scott High and 17-year-old Josh Austerfield pressured Sevilla, with Austerfield making the tackle. He found Rowe, who went on an excellent solo run to work himself into a shooting position before smashing the ball home.
That buoyed the Young Terriers, with Rowe soon flashing another shot just wide before left back Ben Jackson almost found striker Kit Elliott for a sure second goal.
Whitehead brought on several Under-17 players on the hour mark including Tom Bamford, Kian Harratt and Sam Sharrock-Peplow on the hour mark and they competed admirably with the Spanish opponents. Harratt soon set Micah Obiero away to win a corner and from the delivery, Headley tested the goalkeeper with a header.
High forced the goalkeeper into a low save with a free-kick soon after and the pressure continued, with the second goal following with 15 minutes left. It was well worth the wait, with High switching play to Rowe in outstanding fashion and the winger beating several men again before firing a shot home off the post. The goal was as good as you’ll see at any level all season.
Chapman had to collect another Sevilla free-kick as the game ended, but the Terriers saw the game out in relatively comfortable fashion, recording another landmark result.
Highlights of the game will appear on #HTTV this week!
Town’s team (4-3-3)
Jacob Chapman; Ben Jackson, Mustapha Olagunju (Tom Bamford, 60’), Oran Thompson (Jaheim Headley, 46’), Sam Gibson (Sam Sharrock-Peplow, 60’); Josh Austerfield (George Danaher, 60’), Rarmani Edmonds-Green, Scott High (c); Micah Obiero (Tom Bell, 81’), Kit Elliott (Kian Harratt, 60’), Aaron Rowe
Unused substitute
Harrison Davison-Hale
Goals
Aaron Rowe 49’, 76’
Town bookings
Aaron Rowe 38’; Scott High 81’
