West Ham’s famed Academy of Football displayed again that the future of the club is very bright after a incredible night under the lights at London Stadium this week.
A crowd of over 7,000 came to support the Under 18s last night in hopes of the team securing their spot in the Youth FA Cup Final. At the end of the night, the team were victorious as they safely won 6-1 against Southampton, meaning they now face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium at a date to be confirmed.
A proud Kevin Keen spoke to whufc.com after their special win, reflecting on a busy night for the hammers. For one in particular, Divin Mubama, who had a spectacular night bagging a hat-trick. The star managed to score the first, third and fifth of the night and was no doubt a quality player for the duration of the game.
“I was lucky enough to score three tonight and carry on the goal streak but without the boys, I couldn’t do it.”
The hard work put in from the youngsters had paid off after showing off some great talent in all areas of the pitch. Mubama reflected on all the work the team had been putting in ahead of last nights fixture as he states “All season we have been grafting hard. And we know what we expect, the standard doesn’t stop. And we got the job done.”
Not only was it a special night for the 18 year old striker, he’s fellow team members Gideon Kodua and Callum Marshall also excelled as they were able to make it onto the scoresheet. The trio’s skill and movement on and off the ball was able to contribute to the win.
“Us three, we love goals… Off the pitch, we are all together. We stick together and you can see us making tackles”
Kevin Keen also had some great words about the boys, describing captain Kodua as a “Super lad and someone who all the younger lads in the Academy look up to”. Kodua had a great run yesterday after setting up Mubama for the first goal and even scoring one of his own.
The team have definitely been a credit to West Ham even down to their presence in front of media and the crowd. Keen explained how he was interested to see how they dealt with the spotlight, but had no doubts as they seemed to handle it well.
“And that spotlight is only going to get bigger. It’ll get bigger for the final.”
“If the lads want to go on and play in the first team, the media spotlight is through the roof. It’s something they’ve got to get used to but I thought they dealt with it really, really well.”
In an incredible night at the home of West Ham, the boys should definitely have lots to be proud of. The support was immense as well and it didn’t go unnoticed – “It was fantastic to have a crowd in that were so supportive”
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for updates on the final date and secure your tickets. It will be great to have as much support behind the boys as possible!
Written by Katie Vine
