LONDON: Aston Villa put in a dominant performance that was otherwise not reflected on the scoresheet after their comfortable 2-0 win over Cardiff in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Unai Emery’s outfit remains on the hunt for major honours this season after progressing out of the Champions League group phase while doing enough tonight to reach the quarterfinals of the competition.
It was all one-way traffic in the opening 45 minutes at Villa Park as Emery’s men had Cardiff on the ropes throughout, but the Premier League side remained unable to break the deadlock despite 13 shots, three of which were big chances while keeping the Bluebirds to just two shots of their own.
Villa would finally break the deadlock after the interval in the 68th minute through January addition Marco Asensio.
The Spanish midfielder continued his good run of form since arriving from PSG with an expertly taken finish from inside the box to convert Marcus Rashford’s deflected pass that found him in stride.
Asensio would then go on to complete his brace on the night 12 minutes later when he found himself in acres of space in the center of the box to calmly dispatch his effort past Ethan Horvath to put Villa out of sight.
Emery will no doubt feel confident that his record of winning major honours across his time in Spain is now close to being replicated during his second stint in England.
Cardiff boss Omer Riza had suggested before kick-off that he almost wished his club had gone out in the Third Round, rather than face a trip from the Welsh capital.
His theory was that he had more pressing issues with which to contend. Such as preserving the club’s Championship status as they lay just six points above the dropzone. But if that was the public stance, what played out at Villa Park was something different. The Bluebirds’ players, backed by 6,000 fans, showed that they cared all right.
Cardiff may have been limited going forward, but they stuck to their task from the first whistle and, had keeper Emi Martinez not been alert, might have fallen a goal behind from sub Yousef Salech just two minutes before Asensio broke the deadlock.
Before that, a combination of poor finishing, inspired goalkeeping and defensive doggedness had kept a quartet of international-quality forwards at bay.
Watkins tried to flick the ball past the American in the 17th minute, only for a slight deflection to take it wide of the post. The visitors’ No.1 came up with more good work, tipping over a stinging effort from Leon Bailey, and he also denied Watkins after the England striker anticipated Rashford’s header into the danger zone on the stroke of half-time.
By this time, the loanee from Manchester United failed to cover himself in glory by missing a chance from four yards out. Bailey’s work down the right left Rashford on his own at the back post. It was on his less-favoured right foot. That was no excuse.
The next effort from his right foot elicited the same response from Horvath - a save from the edge of the area ten minutes into the second period.
Villa were growing increasingly edgy. But they need not have worried.
Asensio was at hand.