Marco Asensio’s double fired Aston Villa into the Emirates FA Cup quarter-finals as they overcame Cardiff City 2-0 at Villa Park.
Villa dominated the first half but found themselves frustrated by visiting goalkeeper Ethan Horvach, who pulled off a string of fine saves.
The Bluebirds’ resistance was broken by the Spanish international midway through the second half as he latched on to Marcus Rashford’s cutback and fired home, the two January signings continuing their productive link-up since joining on loan.
The 29-year-old added a second with 10 minutes to play as Villa continued their best run in the competition since reaching the final a decade ago.
Horvach made a similarly routine save from John McGinn’s tame curling effort shortly afterwards and the American shot-stopper was called into action again to keep out Ollie Watkins when he was played in by Asensio, the striker’s effort trickling just wide.
Youri Tielemans was next to find an opening but was denied by a brave block from Aaron Ramsey, a three-time Emirates FA Cup winner with Arsenal who scored the winner in the 2013-14 final, while Leon Bailey saw an effort tipped over by Horvach after latching on to a poor clearance.
Bailey then raced to the byline and picked out Rashford, who couldn’t keep his effort down when well placed at the back post, as the home side continued to apply pressure.
A rare foray forward from the Bluebirds ended with Perry Ng going down under a challenge from Lamare Bogarde but the penalty appeals were waved away.
The visitors had to ride out one final attack in the first half and they again had their goalkeeper to thank, with Watkins again the man denied as he latched on to Rashford’s looping header into the box but saw his volley saved from point-blank range.
The second half began as the first had ended, with Villa staying on the front foot. Horvath was straight back into the action, diving to his left and getting a strong palm to McGinn’s right-footed effort from the edge of the box before doing likewise to tip behind a rasping 25-yard drive from Rashford.
England pair Rashford and Watkins linked up again just before the hour mark, the latter placing a shot just wide, before Emiliano Martinez was called upon for the first time to keep out Yousef Salech when the half-time substitute poked Ng’s excellent cross goalbound.
Perhaps stung into action by their wake-up call, Villa went straight back on the attack and took the lead when Asensio gave Horvath no chance with a low left-footed strike after Rashford laid Tielemans’ chip over the top into his path.
Rashford could have added a second only to be denied by a brave Joel Bagan block but the home side did not have to wait long to make the game safe, Asensio again locating the bottom corner from the edge of the box after Bailey’s ball across.
