Aston Villa secured a spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory over Cardiff City at Villa Park, thanks to Marco Asensio’s second-half brace. Cardiff, ranked 19th in the Championship, put up a strong defensive effort for over an hour, with goalkeeper Ethan Horvath making multiple saves. However, Villa broke through in the 68th minute when Marcus Rashford set up Asensio for the opener. Asensio doubled the lead in the 80th minute to seal the win.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, Villa struggled to convert early opportunities, with Ollie Watkins and Rashford missing key chances. Cardiff had a controversial moment before halftime when Perry Ng went down in the box under contact from Lamare Bogarde, but no penalty was awarded. Roy Keane suggested it should have been given.
The victory was crucial for Unai Emery’s team following a heavy 4-1 Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace earlier in the week. Villa now awaits their quarter-final opponent, with the draw scheduled after Manchester United’s clash with Fulham. Meanwhile, Cardiff will shift focus to maintaining their six-point cushion above the Championship relegation zone.
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