Birmingham, March 1: A clinical second half double from Marco Asensio took Aston Villa into the FA Cup quarterfinals for the first time in a decade after beating plucky Cardiff City 2-0.
Cardiff’s last win at Villa Park was in 1954 and the visitor never looked like ending that long drought. The home side was on top from the start and Cardiff goalkeeper Ethan Horvath was one of the busiest men on the park.
However, the Welsh club defended stoutly and it took Villa until the middle of the second half to finally get the goal its superiority deserved.Asensio, the Spanish striker who signed on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in the January transfer window, scored twice in Villa’s 2-1 win over Chelsea last week and he continued to justify the faith of coach Unai Emery in only his third start for the club.The big striker took a cut back from the left from Marcus Rashford and slotted home with his left foot.Twelve minutes later, he did the same but this time from the right, steadying himself to take an Ollie Watkins pass and side-foot home.
“It was not an easy game,” Asensio told ITV. “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.” The other fifth-round ties will be played on Saturday and Sunday, followed by the draw for the quarterfinals. The victory propelled Aston Villa into the FA Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2015, marking a significant milestone under Unai Emery’s reign. Asensio’s match-winning brace further bolstered his growing impact at the club, adding renewed firepower to Villa’s attacking unit. With their cup ambitions alive, the team will be eager to carry this momentum into the next round as they eye a deeper run in the prestigious competition. (AP)
