Aston Villa Overcome West Ham 2-1 in Dramatic FA Cup Third Round Clash
Aston Villa staged an impressive comeback to defeat West Ham United 2-1 in the FA Cup third round on Friday, spoiling Graham Potter’s debut as West Ham’s manager. Key goals from Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers turned the tide after an early strike from Lucas Paquetá had given the visitors the lead.
West Ham Strike Early
West Ham began brightly, taking the lead in the 9th minute. Crysencio Summerville delivered a perfectly placed square pass, allowing Lucas Paquetá to calmly slot the ball past Villa’s goalkeeper. The Hammers maintained control for much of the first half, which was otherwise marred by injuries. West Ham lost forward Niclas Füllkrug to a hamstring issue in the 16th minute, while Villa’s Ross Barkley was forced off with an apparent ankle injury seven minutes later.
Villa’s Second-Half Comeback
After a subdued first half, Villa stepped up their intensity after the break. In the 71st minute, Amadou Onana equalized under controversial circumstances. Following a disputed corner kick, Onana pounced on a rebound after Lukasz Fabianski saved Ian Maatsen’s initial effort. West Ham players protested the corner decision, with replays suggesting it may have been an incorrect call.
Just five minutes later, Morgan Rogers sealed the victory for Villa. Ollie Watkins delivered a perfect square pass, and Rogers finished clinically into the bottom corner. Reflecting on the victory, Rogers told ITV, “It shows a lot of belief in the changing room that we know we can come back against anyone.”
West Ham’s Late Push Falls Short
West Ham fought until the final whistle, with striker Danny Ings coming close in added time. However, his first shot was blocked by Rogers, and his second effort went high and wide as he lost his balance, leaving Potter visibly frustrated on the sidelines.
Villa Make History
The victory means Villa have reached the FA Cup fourth round in back-to-back campaigns for the first time since 2014-15 and 2015-16. They were eliminated by Chelsea at this stage last year but will hope for a deeper run this time.
Elsewhere in the FA Cup
In the evening’s other fixture, League One side Wycombe Wanderers upset Championship club Portsmouth with a 2-0 victory. First-half goals from Brandon Hanlan and Sonny Bradley secured Wycombe’s progression to the next round.
Aston Villa will now await their fourth-round opponents, while Graham Potter faces an uphill battle to rebuild momentum for West Ham after a disappointing debut.
