Marco Asensio scored twice to help Aston Villa to help the quarterfinals of the FA Cup after beating the Side Cardiff City championship 2-0 in Villa Park on Friday.
The hosts always looked into control, but found goalkeeper Ethan Horvath in fine form when he made no fewer than seven Saves to keep the Bluebirds in the game.
In a game of attack versus defense, Villa struggled to break down Cardiff's strict defensive rearguard, where Asensio encouraged a strike somewhat wide in the 17th minute.
Leon Bailey was the next player to test Horvath and poked the palms of the American goalkeeper before Marcus Rashford closed a glorious opportunity shortly thereafter.
The side of Unai Emery continued to investigate after the break, in which John McGinn and Rashford again sought strikes by Horvath, but Cardiff's resistance was eventually broken.
After combining both goals in the 2-1 victory of Villa over Chelsea in the Premier League, Rashford and Asensio connected again to score the opener, with the Spaniard who wipes the on-Loan Manchester United's Precise Cross from the area from the area to home.
Asensio then doubled his count and the lead of Villa 10 minutes after time, and started after he was chosen Bailey before he curled the ball in the right corner.
It marked the fourth goal of the midfielder since he on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in January, with Club Brugge Up for Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Data Debrief: Rashford Resurgence continues
Rashford made it clear about his wish to take on a new challenge, away from Old Trafford, and he apparently accepted the opportunity that Emery and Villa presented him and grabbed with both hands.
Since his villa debut on February 9, Rashford has created more opportunities in all competitions than any other Premier League player (13). All three of his assists for the Villans have been for goals scored by Asensio.
Indeed, Rashford also created six chances for Villa against Cardiff, equal to the most that he registered in one of his 426 games for United (Six vs Wigan Athletic in January 2024).
And the victory marked new land for Villa, which has now reached a FA Cup Quarte final for the first time since the 2014-15 campaign, when they finally lost finalists against Arsenal.
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