Chelsea gave a surprising performance on Wednesday night, beating Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth-round match at Villa Park.
Goals from Conor Gallagher and Nicolas Jackson in the first half gave Chelsea a comfortable lead. Enzo Fernandez sealed the victory with a remarkable free-kick, although Moussa Diaby managed to score a consolation goal for Villa towards the end of the game.
Chelsea delivered an impressive performance, securing a surprising 3-1 victory at Villa Park and securing a spot in the FA Cup fifth round. This win sets up a home match against Leeds United, who are performing well in the Championship.
Aston Villa had an impressive record at home, winning 20 out of their last 23 games. They started the match energetically, hoping to take advantage of the lively atmosphere at Villa Park. However, it was Chelsea who took the lead in the eleventh minute through a well-executed play that ended with Conor Gallagher calmly placing the ball into the top corner of the net.
After scoring the first goal, the Blues’ confidence soared, and they extended their advantage just 10 minutes later. The returning Nicolas Jackson headed home from a Gusto cross following some excellent play by Madueke, who gave Villa difficulties throughout the first half as Chelsea piled in the pressure.
The second half began much as the first had concluded. Chelsea continued to dominate, and only 10 minutes into the half, Enzo Fernandez sealed the game with a fantastic free kick from range that curled into the top corner.
While the half progressed, Villa began to push while Chelsea backed off, but the home side produced nothing. A late Moussa Diaby goal sparked a frenzied finale in the last few minutes, but Villa were unable to change the outcome.
The result means that Aston Villa’s hunt for an FA Cup win against Premier League opponents continues, with the last being against Liverpool in the 2015 semi-final.
Meanwhile, Chelsea will want to advance in a competition that they have already won eight times.
