February 08, (THEWILL) – Chelsea advanced to the fifth round of the English FA Cup on Wednesday, following an unexpectedly decisive 3-1 victory against Aston Villa. The win marks Chelsea’s ninth triumph in their last 10 FA Cup replay matches.
Chelsea entered the away match at Villa Park stadium on the back of a turbulent season, including a painful 4-2 English Premier League loss against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday. Having lost six of their previous seven away games across all tournaments, manager, Mauricio Pochettino and his squad, defied expectations by claiming an early lead, thanks to a goal from Conor Gallagher in the 11th minute.
The visitors continued to control the tempo, doubling their advantage through Nicholas Jackson’s header off a cross from Malo Gusto. Chelsea looked likely to further extend the lead, but were denied by Villa goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez.
Nonetheless, the team emerged even more energised from halftime, with Enzo Fernández curling in an impressive free kick to make it 3-0. Despite a late consolation goal from Villa substitute, Moussa Diaby, Chelsea continued to dominate on their opponent’s home turf.
The victory sets up a fifth round clash with Leeds United, while ending Villa’s hopes of reaching the FA Cup last 16 for the first time since 2015. The win will come as a morale boost for the Blues after a tumultuous season, proving they still have the quality and determination to triumph against the odds.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
