Marco Asensio scored a brace for the second consecutive game at Villa Park as Cardiff’s resistance was finally broken on a successful debut for automated offside in England.
After Marcus Rashford had embarrassingly missed from four yards, the England forward recovered to set up Asensio for the all-important breakthrough midway through the second half, the new technology ruling instantly Rashford had been onside in the build-up.
Asensio, on loan from PSG, then settled the tie late on as Villa reached the FA Cup quarter-finals despite playing their fifth match in 13 days with a Champions League trip to Bruges coming up on Tuesday.
While Unai Emery named a strong Aston Villa line-up, his Cardiff counterpart Omer Riza made six changes with his team battling relegation in The Championship.
However, the Bluebirds XI did include Aaron Ramsey – who played for the club in the 2008 FA Cup final – and former Villa players Anwar El Ghazi and Callum Robinson.
The last of Villa’s FA Cup triumphs was back in 1957 but the Tannoy announcer tried to ramp up the atmosphere by reminding everyone how sweet it would be to lift the trophy again in this ‘special year’, the club’s 150th anniversary.
Aston Villa beat Cardiff City on Friday night to progress to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup
Marco Asensio, on loan from PSG, scored the third and fourth goals of his Aston Villa career
The game’s first goal was assisted by Marcus Rashford, who celebrated as if he had scored
Marcus Rashford tried to get the ball rolling with a decent free-kick after nine minutes saved by Ethan Horvath.
The Manchester United loanee then showed intent to reach the byline where his cross was impressively cut out by teenager Dylan Lawlor.
The automated offside system was making its debut in England but given Villa dominated the ball against Cardiff’s low block, it didn’t look as if it was a match in which it would be overused.
Ollie Watkins timed his run to perfection to break clear after 18 minutes but Horvarth narrowed the angles well and his left boot diverted the England striker’s low finish wide.
Aston Villa’s last trophy of any sort was the League Cup in 1996. And though Emery claimed in the build-up other clubs had stronger squads to be successful this year, the inclusion of Emi Martinez, John McGinn and other big-hitters suggested he does fancy his chances of lifting silverware.
With City camped in their own half, Rashford cut the ball back for Youri Tielemans whose strike was brilliantly blocked by 34-year-old Ramsey.
Cardiff are 19th in the second tier but their attitude was impressive in harrying Villa at every opportunity.
Ramsey dropped deep to ping a 50-yard pass onto El Ghazi’s feet and create Cardiff’s first opportunity. Or it would have been if automated offside hadn’t done his job and judged the winger offside in double-quick time as he collided with Martinez and appealed for a penalty. First triumph for the technology after 27 minutes.
Asensio and Rashford embraced each other as they celebrated Villa’s first goal of the night
Villa may have won by a wider margin had it not been for a fine display by Ethan Horvath (right)
Rashford pictured occupying the attention of multiple Cardiff defenders inside the penalty box
Leon Bailey produced a good tip-over save from Horvath after half-an-hour and then Rashford fluffed his lines to fire over from four yards.
Not surprisingly, he held his head in his hands, astonished at the miss from Bailey’s cross – making more contact with his leg than his boot. Six thousand delighted Cardiff fans chanted: ‘Da-da-da-da Marcus Useless.’
With another very decent chance, Watkins then volleyed into Horvath’s chest from six yards approaching half-time.
Villa ended the first half with almost 70% possession and the second carried on in a similar vein.
McGinn turned sweetly in the penalty area and rolled a low finish towards the bottom corner with Horvath extending his left arm to tip away.
Next up to try and thwart the U.S. international was Rashford whose swerver hit with the outside of the bottom saw Horvath leap through the air to claw away. As the chances mounted up, Watkins curled beyond the far post from inside the box.
Ramsey departed midway through the second half Bluebirds sought fresh legs to stem the claret-and-blue tide. Almost instantly, Yousef Salech registered the visitor’s first shot on target, beating Ezri Konsa to fire low at Martinez who held on.
Maybe the Welsh side rattled Villa’s cage because they finally broke the deadlock in their next attack.
Tielemans pinged a pass to Rashford on the left and his stretch to volley a cross into Asensio’s path was struck sweetly by the Spaniard who had been previously quiet.
Normal VAR may have taken a while to determine whether Rashford had been offside in the build-up because it was close but the automated offside ruled quickly it was a legitimate goal.
Asensio, once of Real Madrid, was clearly in the mood. From Bailey’s cross, Watkins dummied and the Spaniard fired unerringly from eight yards to seal the tie.
