Newcastle U-17s Downed by Desportivo Brasil in Milk Cup Final

The Newcastle United Academy fell short in their effort to claim the prestigious Northern Ireland Milk Cup at the Premier level Thursday, losing to Desportivo Brasil 3-0 in the final. Newcastle, 2-time holders of the cup, had only conceded 1 goal on the tournament prior to Thursday's match, scoring 15 in 4 matches.

The first half was rather uneventful, with each team enjoying spells of dominance, but Desportivo, a 7 year-old club with ties to Manchester United (among others), bossed play throughout the second half. Standouts for Newcastle included midfielder Rolando Aarons and forward Adam Campbell, who was named Man of the Tournament for scoring 6 goals. Campbell's performance turned heads, as reports began to surface a couple of days ago that several prestigious clubs were seen scouting him during games.

Manager Alan Pardew and Reserve Coach Peter Beardsley were in attendance Thursday. Though Newcastle failed to bring home the trophy, they ultimately put in a strong performance overall, serving notice that the pipeline of homegrown talent will not dry up soon.