Morgan Rogers’ Late Strike Seals Aston Villa’s 2-1 Win Over West Ham in FA Cup Third Round
In a thrilling FA Cup third-round match at Villa Park on Friday night, Aston Villa stunned West Ham with two second-half goals to secure a 2-1 victory and advance to the fourth round. Despite a dream start from West Ham under new manager Graham Potter, Villa responded with resilience and quality to deny the Hammers a win in Potter’s first game at the helm.
The match began with high intensity, as Lucas Paqueta tested Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen within the first minute, firing a powerful shot just inches over the bar. The Brazilian made no mistake just nine minutes later when he pounced on a clever assist from Crysencio Summerville. Paqueta calmly sidefooted the ball past Olsen, giving West Ham the lead and a perfect start for their new manager, who had taken over just a day before the match.
However, Villa’s fortunes took a turn for the worse when Niclas Fullkrug, making his return after a long injury layoff, limped off the field with a hamstring injury, leaving the hosts with a fresh concern. As the match wore on, Villa struggled to create any meaningful chances, and at halftime, they had not registered a single shot on target. Meanwhile, West Ham looked comfortable, but their advantage seemed fragile.
In the second half, Villa began to grow into the game. A smart save from West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski denied Ian Maatsen’s fierce shot, keeping the visitors in the lead. But just moments later, Villa were awarded a corner kick, and Amadou Onana made the most of the opportunity, prodding home from close range in the 71st minute to level the score.
The momentum quickly swung Villa’s way. In the 76th minute, Ollie Watkins expertly controlled a pass from Emi Buendia and squared it to Morgan Rogers, who fired the ball into the net with a first-time finish to give Villa the lead. The hosts held on to their advantage, and despite a late push from West Ham, they were unable to find an equalizer.
After the match, Potter expressed concern over the injury to Fullkrug, noting that it could be a severe hamstring issue. Ross Barkley also left the field injured for Villa, adding further disruption to an already challenging first half for both sides.
With the win, Aston Villa move into the FA Cup fourth round, marking only their second appearance in the last 32 of the competition in the past nine seasons. Unai Emery’s side showed great character in turning the game around, and they will now look forward to the next challenge in their cup run.
