Aston Villa booked their place within the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 win towards Championship aspect Cardiff Metropolis, because of Marco Asensio’s double within the second half.
Cardiff annoyed Villa all through the primary hour of the sport, with goalkeeper Ethan Horvath making seven saves earlier than Marcus Rashford and Asensio linked up for a 3rd time since each arriving in January to interrupt the impasse.
Asensio swept dwelling Rashford’s cut-back within the 68th minute to open the scoring and netted his second of the night time 12 minutes later (80) to make sure Unai Emery’s males progressed into the subsequent spherical.
Villa will now eagerly await Sunday night’s draw, which is scheduled to happen after Manchester United host Fulham at Outdated Trafford, to find who they may meet within the final eight.
Cardiff, nineteenth within the Championship, gave a powerful account of themselves on the highway and may really feel unfortunate to haven’t been awarded a penalty simply earlier than the break when Perry Ng went down inside the world after feeling contact on his toes from Lamare Bogarde.
“I feel it was a penalty,” mentioned Sky Sports activities’ Roy Keane on ITV. “He caught him and has gone down.”
Nevertheless, Villa did dominate the fixture and certain ought to have been main lengthy earlier than their opener, with Ollie Watkins and Rashford, who’s but to attain in claret and blue, squandering possibilities from point-blank vary earlier than the break.
It was removed from an ideal efficiency within the last third from Villa however, after Tuesday’s 4-1 drubbing at Crystal Palace, rising with victory was the precedence. As for Cardiff, full consideration will now shift to extending their six-point hole on the underside three within the Championship to make sure their survival.
Who may Villa face?
Remaining FA Cup fixtures:
- Bournemouth vs Wolves
- Crystal Palace vs Millwall
- Man Metropolis vs Plymouth
- Man Utd vs Fulham
- Newcastle vs Brighton
- Nottingham Forest vs Ipswich
- Preston vs Burnley
