Villa
cruised to a comfortable victory as the Swedishtour kicked-off with a stroll by the seaside.
And the loyal members of the Claret and Blue Army over here in Scandinavia will have been cheered by a more than useful debut for on-loan striker Carlton Cole.
The England Under-21 man bagged a debut goal and looked assured - even if he did see a first-half spot-kick saved.
Peter Whittingham, Lee Hendrie (2), Gavin McCann and Thomas Hitzlsperger completed the scoring as Villa, without star striker Juan Pablo Angel and skipper Olof Mellberg cruised.
Villa were quickly on the attack as Cole raced onto a
Hendrie through ball down the right, but saw his cross deflected behind for a corner. Drobny headed over from Hitzlsperger's centre. Hendrie made an energetic start down the right, while Cole's physical presence cause the Swedes early problems. Ridgewell headed straight at keeper Isaksson from a Hitzlsperger corner on six and moments later Hendrie's cross was cut out as Cole looked to pounce.
McCann
made a surging run from midfield on ten before being felled on the edge of the
box. Isaksson made a spectacular double save from Hitzlsperger's free-kick and
Cole's follow-up. Whittingham opened the scoring for Villa on 12, slotting home as Cole raced down the right and cut the ball back into his path.
Cole headed just over from another Hitzlsperger corner on 15 as Villa continued to comfortably dominate. Isaksson deflected Moore's angled drive into the side-netting on 18. The keeper was again called into action on 23 as he palmed Hendrie's cross behind.
McCann doubled Villa's lead on 24 as his header from Barry's left-wing cross crept past Isaksson at the far
-post.
Arvidsson fired over from 25 yards on 28 as the hosts struggled to make an
impact on Villa's well marshalled defence. Cole grabbed the debut goal he
deserved on 32 as he powered home a header from Hitzlsperger's right-wing
corner. Whittingham saw a left-foot volley deflected behind on 36. Moments later
Hitzlsperger was brilliantly denied by Isaksson as he unleashed a left-foot
drive from the edge of the box. The keeper palmed Cole's deflected cross away on
39, but was powerless to stop Hendrie making it 4-0 from the follow-up. Moore
fired high and wide on
41
as he raced onto a through-ball from the impressive Cole. Villa were awarded a
penalty on the stroke of half-time as Barry was felled by Dahlqvist. But
Isaksson saved Cole's well struck spot-kick. Cole curled a left-wing cross just
past the far-post on 50 as Villa made a slower start to the second period. Moore
prodded the ball just wide on 53 as he met Hendrie's deflected shot from the
edge of the box. Ralbring headed over for the home side a minute later. Hendrie
scored
his second of the game on 56 as he slotted home an angled volley from
Whittingham's left-wing cross. The move was started by Drobny's confident ball
down the left. Hitzlsperger volleyed wide on 59. Davis was given the chance to
shine on the hour mark and almost made an instant impact as his right-wing cross
was intercepted by substitute keeper Karlsson a minute later. Stefan Moore fired
straight at Karlsson on 71 as he was released by the lively Davis. Villa took
their foot off the pedal as the second-half progressed, but Samuel almost made
it s
ix
on 73 as he exchanged passes with Stefan Moore beforeslotting wide. Hitzlsperger did grab goal number six two mintes later as Karlsson was unable to hold a low left-foot drive. Luke Moore fired wide on 78. Henriksson almost grabbed a consolation for the hosts moments later, but his shot was deflected wide by Ridgewell. Vassell saw a left-foot drive deflected behind on 86 after a meandering run down the left. Hitzlsperger then fired a tame shot straight at Karlsson.
Villa: Postma, Delaney, Barry, Drobny, Ridgewell, Hendrie,
Hitzlsperger, McCann, Whittingham, Cole, L.Moore. Subs: Samuel (for Barry ht), Henderson, Vassell (for Cole 60), Davis (for McCann 60), S.Moore (for Hendrie 60)
David
O’Leary saw Villa cruise to a 6-0 tour win here in Sweden, but insisted he would
not be getting carried away with the scoreline. The Villa boss fielded a
makeshift side, minus Thomas Sorensen, Olof Mellberg, Juan Pablo Angel, Martin
Laursen and the absent Nobby Solano. But his men were still far too strong for
the Swedish hosts and O’Leary told www.avfc.co.uk: “It was useful run out and
that’s what we need at this stage of the preparations. It’s all about fitness at
this time of the year and match practice. “I don’t think the fans should read
too much into a 6-0 scoreline – I certainly won’t. But I am pleased we played
some good stuff at times.” Villa won thanks to goals from Peter Whittingham, Lee
Hendrie (2), Carlton Cole, Gavin McCann and Thomas Hitzlsperger. And O’Leary
added: “Carlton Cole scored on his debut, which was a bonus, but I still think
there’s much more to come from him and we’ll see that as time goes on.