Aston Villa March into FA Cup Quarter-Finals as Asensio Shines

Aston Villa are into the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in a decade after a hard-fought win over Cardiff.

February 28, 2025
11:43 pm

Aston Villa is back in the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in ten years! Marco Asensio scored twice in the second half, leading to a 2-0 win over Cardiff City at Villa Park.

For 68 minutes, Unai Emery’s team struggled against a tough Cardiff side and their impressive keeper, Ethan Horvath. But once Asensio broke the deadlock with a great assist from Marcus Rashford, it was clear who would win. He sealed the deal ten minutes before the end, finishing perfectly after a cutback from Leon Bailey.

Before the match, Emery downplayed Villa’s chances, saying they weren’t favorites to win the trophy. But with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea already out, the road to Wembley looks wide open. This is the first time Villa has made it this far since 2015, when they reached the final. Could history repeat itself?

Asensio has been amazing since joining in January, scoring four goals in three games, with Rashford assisting three of them. The Manchester United loanee hasn’t scored yet, but his impact was clear. He was a constant threat, even though he had a tough night in front of goal, getting denied by Horvath multiple times.

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Despite a busy schedule—this was Villa’s fifth game in just 14 days—Emery put out a strong team, starting with Asensio, Rashford, and Ollie Watkins. Cardiff’s boss, Omer Riza, made several changes, focusing on their fight for Championship survival and giving 19-year-old Dylan Lawlor his full debut.

Villa dominated from the start, but it took until the 17th minute for their first real chance. Asensio’s pass found Watkins, but Horvath made a crucial save. A little later, Bailey tested the Cardiff keeper, and Rashford missed a golden opportunity by miscuing a low cross.

Watkins had another shot blocked before halftime, while John McGinn and Rashford both had efforts saved by the busy Horvath. At the other end, Emiliano Martinez barely had to work, but he did make a sharp save to deny Yousef Salech’s sliding shot.

That save was key. Just two minutes later, Villa finally scored. Youri Tielemans set up Rashford, who squared it for Asensio to finish low into the corner. There was a brief pause as they checked Rashford’s position with semi-automated offside tech, but the decision was quick.

Rashford almost got on the scoresheet himself but was blocked by a heroic Joel Bagan. Asensio then wrapped things up with his second goal, calmly slotting it home after another assist from Bailey.

With the momentum on their side, Villa will now focus on next week’s Champions League last-16 match against Club Brugge. Based on this performance, they’re heading into that game full of confidence—and maybe dreaming of more than just a cup run!