FA Cup: Rashford's Double Sends Preston Home as Aston Villa Triumphs 3-0 to Advance to Semis

Synopsis

On March 30, Aston Villa achieved a convincing 3-0 victory against Preston North End in the FA Cup quarter-finals, thanks to two goals from Marcus Rashford and a stunning finish by Jacob Ramsey, ensuring their place in the semi-finals for the first time in 10 years.

Key Takeaways

Aston Villa secured a 3-0 victory over Preston North End.
Marcus Rashford scored two goals, marking his first in the competition.
Jacob Ramsey added a third with a brilliant solo effort.
Villa will face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-finals.
This marks Villa's first semi-final appearance in a decade.

Birmingham, March 30 (NationPress) Aston Villa clinched their spot in the FA Cup semi-finals with a decisive 3-0 triumph over Preston North End at Deepdale on Sunday.

A stellar performance by Marcus Rashford, who netted two goals in his initial scoring outing for the club, alongside a goal from Jacob Ramsey, propelled Villa to their fifth consecutive victory across all competitions.

The match commenced with Preston displaying early ambition, energized by their first FA Cup quarter-final appearance since 1966. However, Villa quickly found their rhythm, with Rashford challenging Preston's goalkeeper Dai Cornell with a long-range free-kick. Ramsey consistently threatened the home defense, driving towards them and drawing multiple fouls, which opened up further chances for Rashford and Lucas Digne, albeit with no goals to show for it.

The most significant opportunity of a relatively dull first half fell to Preston. After Villa's goalkeeper Emi Martínez, who was captaining the side for his 200th appearance, managed to punch away a cross, Stefan Thordarson headed wide when it seemed easier to score. The first half concluded with the score remaining at 0-0.

Villa emerged with renewed vigor after the interval, and within ten minutes, Rashford nearly broke the stalemate, but Cornell was resolute in denying him. Villa's breakthrough arrived just past the hour mark when Digne delivered an exquisite ball for Rashford, who finished expertly from 12 yards to give Villa the lead.

Shortly thereafter, the visitors doubled their advantage when Rashford converted a penalty, awarded for a foul on Morgan Rogers by Preston’s Andrew Hughes. With a 2-0 lead, Villa appeared in complete command, and Ramsey capped off the victory with a remarkable solo goal in the 71st minute. Following a brilliant run from Digne’s pass, Ramsey weaved through Preston’s defense and fired a shot into the bottom corner.

Despite some late opportunities for Ollie Watkins, Villa was content to see out the match as they cruised to a well-earned 3-0 victory. This win sends Villa to Wembley for the first time in a decade, where they will meet Crystal Palace in the semi-finals next month.