U21s: Aston Villa 5-1 Real Sociedad

A scintillating second half helped Aston Villa dispatch Real Sociedad in the Premier League International Cup at Bodymoor Heath.

The Spanish side were ahead inside two minutes thanks to Oihan Telletxea, but the home side quickly hit back via Markie Meade.

Iker Ropero turned a cross past his own goalkeeper as the Young Lions led 2-1 at the break, and they upped the ante after the interval.

Jack McGrath’s missed penalty counted for little as substitute Josh Blake struck twice in three minutes to reward his team’s dominance.

Blake then completed his treble from the spot in the closing stages after a red card for last man Lander Uranga.

A first win in the competition was more than welcome for the home side, who will now wait until December to continue their Group C campaign against Borussia Dortmund. 

Villa’s second outing of the competition was Real Sociedad’s first, with Jimmy Shan’s team keen to put a defeat by Brøndby behind them.  

But they were dealt a blow inside two minutes when an intense press won the ball back high up the pitch and allowed Telletxea to slot past Sam Lewis.

The home side struck back five minutes later, Meade taking down Cole Brannigan’s free-kick on his chest before lashing a shot into the bottom corner as he moved away from goal.

A last-ditch block from Keilan Quinn kept the visitors at bay before Sociedad’s pressing produced a chance for Javier Soroeta, who slid a shot narrowly wide.

Villa moved in front for the first time after 38 minutes when Meade surged into the box and saw his cutback turned into his own net by Ropero.

Soroeta went clean through almost immediately from the restart, but the Sociedad No.9 missed the target as a breathless first half drew to a close.

In a role reversal from the first half, Villa flew out of the blocks upon the resumption and Trai-Varn Mulley spurned a great opportunity before Oscar Johnson was hauled down for a penalty after 49 minutes.

McGrath stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, but his spot kick rebounded off the post and away to safety.

Despite the miss, the hosts were in control of the game as it passed the hour mark, while Soroeta’s difficult night continued when he planted a header wide.

Villa’s dominance paid dividends after 69 minutes when Meade released Blake in behind, the winger cutting back on his right foot and drilling a shot into the top corner.

Three minutes later the substitute was celebrating his second, tapping home at the end of a swift counter-attack that saw Johnson speed down the right and pass the ball across the face of goal.

Blake was handed a golden opportunity to net his hat-trick when Uranga shoved Daniel Adediran over in the box, and he made no mistake to wrap up an emphatic victory.

Aston Villa: Lewis, Mulley (Burgess), Carroll, Routh, Fortes, Jenner, Quinn (Lynskey), Brannigan (Blake), McGrath (Boyd), Johnson, Meade (Adediran).

Unused subs: Earley, Atkins.