Unai Emery’s Aston Villa will be one of the teams to avoid in Monday night’s Emirates FA Cup fifth round draw, after dumping Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham out thanks to goals from Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers.
Villa put in a strong performance in front of the home crowd as they dominated for the majority of the game, apart from a 15 minute spell after the interval when Spurs caused problems. Ramsey scored after only 59 seconds following a howler from Antonín Kinský, before Rogers scored the winner after the hour mark and Mathys Tel ensured a nervy finish in added time.
As it happened
It took only 59 seconds for Villa Park to erupt as Morgan Rogers picked up the ball on the halfway line and drove forward, before sliding a perfect ball out onto the onrushing Jacob Ramsey. The Villa academy product blasted across Antonín Kinský, who could only parry into his own net. It was certainly a blistering start from the home side, but a howler from the Spurs shot-stopper.
Kinský’s nerves were evident as some poor distribution out to the left flank allowed Villa to press high in the 14 minute. The ball was quickly played into Malen who took his effort early but blazed over. The away supporters must have been worried for what was to come.
The half continued in a similar vein of Villa chances being created but the Czech goalkeeper was able to keep his side in the game. A superb effort from Jamaica winger Leon Bailey was tipped away by Kinský, who had to get a hand on it to stop the hosts doubling their advantage.
Villa were posing a threat but were unable to be ruthless enough as chances from Youri Tielemans and Malen failed to trouble the man in between the sticks. Out of nowhere, Emiliano Martínez came to theVillans’ rescue. For the first time in the match, Spurs were able to get forward as Mikey Moore was played down the right having broken beyond Lucas Digne. His first time cross was perfect for Son Heung-Min to convert. However, the 2024 Yashin Trophy winner read the South Korean’s placement and made the point-blank range save.
But normal service soon resumed as Kinský kept the score at 1-0 when he denied Bailey, before Ramsey on a tight angle hit the outside of the post. The goalscorer then picked the ball up on the halfway line – an effective ploy throughout the half – and motored into the mass space vacated. An effort from 25 yards forced another save before the half ended with Malen smashing into the side netting.
Spurs started the second period with more bite and applied pressure to the Villa backline forcing a few corner opportunities and Dejan Kulusevski was finally having an impact further up the pitch.
Villa burst back into life after John McGinn spun away from two Spurs players and made a break forward before sliding Ramsey in. His effort was once more saved and the game was becoming very open.
Just as Spurs were starting to cause problems Villa made it two-nil. The Villans’ played at pace as Bailey ploughed towards the box and Malen made an overlapping run beyond to drive a dangerous ball that Spurs could not clear effectively as Rogers came in and poked the ball into the roof of the net.
The game was as good as done when Emery introduced the two new loan signings off the bench with Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio being welcomed onto the pitch for the first time. The Spaniard played a beautiful role in a sweeping move where he backheeled into the path of Rogers as the pair combined for a one-two that allowed Rogers an effort on goal that ultimately flew past the post.
The game looked to be dying out towards the end of the game until Mathys Tel scored his first goal for Spurs in the 91st minute, as Dejan Kulusevski whipped in a perfect delivery which found the Frenchman who volleyed past Martínez.
The lineups
AVL: Martínez; García, Konsa, Kamara, Digne; Tielemans, McGinn, Ramsey; Rogers, Bailey, Malen
TOT: Kinský; Porro, Danso, Gray, Spence; Bergvall, Bentancur, Kulusevski; Moore, Tel, Son