A double by Marco Asensio secured Aston Villa’s place in the FA Cup quarterfinals as they overcame a stubborn Cardiff City side with a 2-0 victory at Villa Park on Friday.
The Spanish forward struck twice in the second half to break Cardiff’s resistance and guide Unai Emery’s team into the last eight for the first time since their 2015 run to the final.
Asensio, who joined Villa on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in January, has now scored four goals in six appearances for the club.
The win was a welcome boost for Villa after their disappointing 4-1 Premier League defeat at Crystal Palace earlier in the week.
Despite an upcoming Champions League last-16 tie against Club Brugge on Tuesday, Emery fielded a strong team against the struggling Championship side.
In contrast, Cardiff boss Omar Riza, prioritising his team’s relegation battle, opted for a weakened lineup.
Villa dominated possession from the outset, with Marcus Rashford and John McGinn both forcing early saves from Cardiff goalkeeper Ethan Horvath. Ollie Watkins spurned a golden chance, poking wide after breaking into the penalty area.
Villa’s relentless pressure continued as Leon Bailey’s powerful shot was tipped over by Horvath, while Rashford and Watkins both missed close-range chances. The overworked Horvath kept Cardiff in the game, denying McGinn and Rashford again early in the second half.
Cardiff nearly snatched a shock lead against the run of play when Yousef Salech met Perry Ng’s cross, but Emiliano Martinez was equal to the effort.
Moments later, Villa finally found the breakthrough in the 68th minute. Rashford, continuing his strong form since joining on loan from Manchester United, latched onto Youri Tielemans’ pass before setting up Asensio, who slotted home clinically.
Asensio sealed the win in the 80th minute, collecting a pass from Bailey before guiding a composed finish past Horvath from 10 yards.
Villa, who last lifted the FA Cup in 1957, remain in the hunt for silverware, but Emery played down expectations: “We are contenders, but not favourites.”
