BIRMINGHAM, England — Aston Villa secured a spot in the FA Cup quarterfinals for the first time in ten years after defeating Cardiff City 2-0, thanks to a brace by Marco Asensio in the second half. From the onset, the match at Villa Park saw the home team exerting control, while Cardiff City was unable to break their long-standing losing streak, which dates back to 1954, at this venue.
Villa’s dominance was evident, forcing Cardiff’s goalkeeper, Ethan Horvath, into action multiple times. Despite solid defensive efforts from Cardiff, Villa finally broke through in the second half. Asensio, who joined on loan from Paris Saint-Germain during the January transfer period, has been proving coach Unai Emery’s decision to be a valuable one. Just last week, he was pivotal in Villa’s 2-1 victory against Chelsea.
The breakthrough came when Asensio converted a precise cutback from Marcus Rashford, finding the net with his left foot. His second goal, twelve minutes after the first, mirrored his earlier effort, but this time he adeptly finished a pass from Ollie Watkins. Asensio’s performance underscored the reason for his acquisition, bringing a decisive edge to the team.
Reflecting on the match, Asensio told ITV, “It was not an easy game. We knew it was a difficult game. (I’m) very happy for the goals, for the win. We’re in the next round, that’s the most important.”
While Aston Villa celebrates their advance to the quarterfinal, the remaining fifth-round matches are set to take place over the weekend, with the draw for the next round following shortly.
