Albion finished the Premier League International Cup group stage with a perfect record after beating Dinamo Zagreb thanks to first-half goals by Remiero Moulton and Noel Atom.
Shannon Ruth’s side had already qualified for the quarter-finals after winning all three of their previous Group B fixtures against Valencia, Celtic and Lyon, but this fourth victory ensured that they cannot be overtaken.
Moulton put Albion ahead after 18 minutes of an impressive first start for the under-21s, but Dinamo came back with a goal by Croatia under-17 forward Leo Rimac before Atom restored the lead in first-half added time.
Even though the nine players who had been on the warm-weather training break were back from Dubai, Ruth picked another young side.
He made four changes to the team that had started the 4-2 victory over Liverpool on Saturday. In came Atom and Bailey Smith - who had both come off the bench against the Reds - as well as regular under-21s goalkeeper Killian Cahill and 17-year-old former Arsenal and Watford schoolboy Moulton.
Against an even younger Zagreb team, Albion might have grabbed an early lead after a quickly-taken corner caught the visitors napping but Atom could only head Moulton’s cross into the side netting.
The home side were ahead after 18 minutes, however, thanks to Moulton’s quick reactions. Harry Howell charged onto Jacob Slater’s pass down the left and aimed a cross towards Louis Flower. Goalkeeper Antonio Rajic cut it out but could not hold the ball and Moulton was onto it, diving bravely between two defenders to nod home.
Dinamo levelled after 27 minutes when Atom over-hit a pass towards Joe Knight. Sven Siunta took possession and ran at the Albion defence before sliding the ball left to Rimac. He took a touch before picking his spot to Cahill’s left.
Siunta almost returned the favour when Moulton stole the ball from his feet but when he found Flower on the Albion left the former Chelsea striker’s shot was too close to Rajic. And when a chance fell to Rimac again, Cahill spread himself to block this time.
Howell could have put Albion back in front just before the interval but although he arrived unmarked to meet Bailey’s Smith’s inch-perfect cross from the right, he headed straight at Rajic. However, it was only a temporary reprieve for Dinamo and Rajic.
In added time, Moulton’s determined run was halted 22 yards out by Dinamo defender Marko Zebic’s desperate foul. Knight hit a free kick that Rajic could not hold, and Atom tucked home the rebound.
Slater should have made it 3-1 but side-footed wide after Charlie Tasker’s low cross had been allowed travelled all the way across the Dinamo penalty area and Rajic saved well as Flower nodded goalwards from substitute Kain Ryan’s flick.
A third goal would have been useful with Dinamo pressing in search of an equaliser, but although the Albion rhythm could have been disrupted by a series of substitutions, Ruth’s side regrouped and held out.
Albion: Cahill; Offiah (sub: Bashir 74), Simmonds (Ryan 61), Atom; Smith, Knight (Albarus 61), Mullins, Slater; Moulton (Belmont 68), Flower, Howell (Tasker 61).
Unused subs: Fisher, Mills.