By 
Omari Kellyman and Sebastian Revan made their senior Aston Villa debut this evening, inside a raucous atmosphere at Villa Park.
Words: Regan Foy | @findfoy
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Aston Villa youngsters Omari Kellyman and Sebastian Revan made their senior Aston Villa debuts this evening, inside a raucous atmosphere as Villa Park welcomed European football back for the first time in well over a decade.
It was a different youngster who had the initial impact in the game, however, as Pau Torres played a long ball forward for Jhon Duran to chase on to. The young Colombian battled with Rocky Bushiri before getting free and firing first time into the bottom right corner in front of the North Stand.
17-year-old Kellyman would, however, turn provider in the 34th minute. The youngster burst forward and created acres of space for Leon Bailey out on the right, who did his trademark cut onto his left foot and fired past Marshall in the Hibernian net. Kellyman did exceptionally well in his initial progression with the ball and walked away with an assist.
A relatively simple 45 minutes, with Aston Villa already ahead 5-0 on aggregate, allowed the side to look comfortable in possession. The home side went in at the break two goals ahead.
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The second half saw Boubacar Kamara and Ezri Konsa make way for John McGinn and the weekend’s brace scorer Matty Cash.
The latter would pick up Villa’s third as Leon Bailey’s free-kick was fumbled back into the box by David Marshall. Cash met the ball on the volley, firing the ball into the ground and leaving the Hibernian goalkeeper stranded as the strike nestled into the back of the net. Ollie Watkins and Diego Carlos replaced Jhon Duran and Pau Torres just after the hour mark.
Watkins came close after just a few minutes on the pitch, as his pot-shot effort was palmed into the air and bounced precariously on the line before being cleared. Leander Dendoncker made his first appearance of the season post-injury shortly after, replacing Douglas Luiz.
A few minutes away from full time, Omari Kellyman almost grabbed a debut goal – curling an effort from outside the box towards goal that just whipped wide.
Matty Cash was denied an exceptional second as Villa’s pass-and-move style carved open the Hibernian defence. Marshall was wise to the right-backs attempt and snuffed it out well.
Both youngsters completed the full 90 minutes as Aston Villa finished what they started on home soil. The debutants should be delighted with their showing – neither put a foot wrong across a complete performance, and of course Kellyman notched himself an assist. Onto the draw tomorrow!
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