FA Cup: Aston Villa 2 West Ham 1 - Report

For much of the night it appeared Villa’s 150th birthday match would be marked by a record-equalling seventh straight FA Cup home defeat.

But two goals in five second half minutes rescued Unai Emery’s team, sending them into the fourth round at the expense of a West Ham unit re-energised by new boss Graham Potter.

The Hammers led early through Lucas Paqueta’s ninth-minute strike and were comfortable as Villa, decked out in commemorative all-black shirts, failed to register a shot on goal in the first half.

But they rallied after the break, drew level when Amadou Onana converted following a wrongly-awarded corner and then won it when Morgan Rogers poked home with 14 minutes remaining.

This was Villa’s first home FA Cup win since overcoming Wycombe in a 2016 replay and they would have drawn level with Rotherham on seven straight home defeats without the fightback.

It also ended a run of four straight domestic home cup defeats under Emery, who named a strong XI though Emi Martinez, who had expressed his desire to reach Wembley earlier in the week, missing out with a minor injury.

That meant a first start of the season for Robin Olsen and he was beaten inside nine minutes as the Hammers, who had just one training session under Potter, caught Villa cold on a freezing night. 

Paqueta had already given Villa a warning when he flashed a shot wide inside the opening 50 seconds.

In the ninth minute he advanced into the box to fire the visitors ahead after Mohammed Kudus had sent Crysencio Summerville racing down the right wing with a lofted pass, Paqueta arriving to slot the cross into the bottom corner beyond Olsen.

Now it was the 6,000 West Ham supporters, stationed across the whole of the upper Witton Lane Stand, making the noise.

Had it not been the intervention of Matty Cash, who blocked from Paqueta when the Hammers tried to work the same opening which had seen them go in front, they might have had further reason to cheer.

Villa didn’t manage a shot in the first half and also lost Ross Barkley to injury. 

Another decent block, this time from Tyrone Mings, was required to prevent Edson Alvarez from testing Olsen. The keeper did save from Mohammed Kudus after the Hammers midfielder had found space to shoot from outside the box.

Villa finally registered an attempt on goal nine minutes into the second half. Rogers’ shot was shanked miles over the bar but it was at least progress.

The hosts were looking a little better. Bailey, finding more space down the right saw a shot blocked before Youri Tielemans’ effort flicked off the foot of Tomas Soucek and flew wide.

Fabianski was finally forced into action when he dived to his left to keep out Ian Maatsen’s long-range drive and then suddenly Villa were level.

West Ham had reason to be annoyed as referee Tim Robinson gave a corner despite Onana’s shanked shot not going close to a West Ham player. 

The official also ignored Paqueta falling to the ground when tangling with Konsa as the corner came in and when Maatsen’s shot took a nick off Soucek and Fabianksi couldn’t hold, Onana slammed home from a foot out.

Within five minutes the turnaround was complete. Buendia, brought off the bench after the leveller, set Watkins running away and he squared for Rogers to turn home at the near post.

Jacob Ramsey then came close to putting the tie to bed when he sent a rising shot off the upright as the Hammers appeared to be wilting.

Rogers blocked crucially from Ings in stoppage time before the former Villa man blazed over with the visitors’ last chance.

Villa (4-2-3-1): Olsen, Cash (Nedeljkovic 72), Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Kamara (Buendia 72), Barkley (Onana 22), Bailey (Ramsey 72), Tielemans, Rogers, Watkins Subs not used: Digne, Bogarde, Jimoh, Burrowes, Gauci (gk).

West Ham (4-2-3-1): Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Mavropanos (Soler 85), Scarles (Cresswell 77), Alvarez (Guilherme 85), Soucek ©, Kudus, Paqueta, Summerville (Coufal HT), Fullkrug (Ings 15) Subs not used: Rodriguez, Irving, Casey, Foderingham (gk).