Aston Villa 2-0 West Bromwich Albion
- Published
Villa into first FA Cup semi-final since 2010
Semi-finals to be played at Wembley
Villa enjoy back-to-back wins against Baggies
Pitch invasion before final whistle - reaction
Aston Villa sealed a place in the FA Cup semi-final and a first trip to Wembley in five years with a second victory inside a week over fierce west Midlands rivals West Brom.
In a game marred by ugly crowd scenes involving both sets of supporters towards the end, Villa secured the win with second-half goals by Fabian Delph and Scott Sinclair.
An already powder-keg atmosphere was ignited when West Brom's Claudio Yacob was harshly sent off for a second yellow card just before Sinclair wrapped up the win with Villa's second.
Some Albion fans ripped out several seats and hurled them on to the pitch while Villa's supporters prematurely invaded the playing surface in a victory celebration before referee Anthony Taylor had sounded the final whistle.
When Taylor did bring the game to its conclusion, thousands of Villa supporters ran on to the pitch, with West Brom substitute Callum McManaman particularly angry about his treatment, getting involved in altercations before he was hustled down the tunnel.
It threatened to overshadow another landmark win for new Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood after the crucial Premier League win over The Baggies in midweek - and they can now contemplate their first trip to Wembley since the FA Cup semi-final defeat by Chelsea in 2010.
Villa were also reduced to 10 men in stoppage time but by then the game was won. The celebrations from the home fans were suitably wild - but the Football Association will surely look at those disturbing scenes towards the end.
West Brom took 45 minutes to get started in Tuesday's league defeat - but they were on the front foot right away and should have taken an early lead when Ideye blazed Craig Gardner's cross over the top at the Holte End with only Shay Given to beat from eight yards.
Ideye saw a more difficult chance, a diving header, saved by the veteran Republic of Ireland keeper while at the other end Villa, without Christian Benteke after he suffered a minor hip injury in training, were struggling to mount any sustained pressure.
The shape of the game changed six minutes after the break when Charles N'Zogbia was allowed too much time and space, to the obvious disgust of Pulis, before setting up Delph to thump a low finish past Boaz Myhill.
Albion's response was instant and should have brought an equaliser when Joleon Lescott produced a miss almost as bad as Ideye's to head a corner wide at the far post.
As West Brom chased the equaliser, spaces inevitably started to appear and Sinclair almost took advantage when he raced clear but pulled an angled finish wide.
Albion's task was made harder by the sending off of Yacob, with referee Taylor seeming to hesitate before stopping play and bringing out the second yellow card - while Sinclair's goal, completed with real composure five minutes from time, simply completed the formalities amid an increasingly toxic atmosphere.
In the dying seconds, the home side were also reduced to 10 men as substitute Jack Grealish received two yellow cards within the last 16 minutes, the last one for simulation.
Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood:
"It's been a good week. The players want to dedicate it to the fans. They think the fans have had some hard times here and everyone at the club realises we are going to need them. We are going to need them every step of the way.
"I thought both sendings off were harsh, I thought the referee had a good game apart from those two huge decisions.
"I have seen Villa Park get going twice now and it is special. It needs to get going a few more times. I'm pleading with our fans - we need you. It isn't always going to be rosy in the garden.
"If we win the FA Cup but get relegated it will be a failure."
West Brom manager Tony Pulis:
"It's really, really disappointing. We have come here twice in a week and Alan Hutton should have been sent off before getting the cross in that led to the winner.
"We have had two poor decisions. When Claudio Yacob was sent off I thought the linesman had seen something but I have spoken to Anthony and he said he's made the decision.
"Yac had three touches before the game was stopped and he was sent off."
- Published8 March 2015
- Published6 March 2015
- Published7 March 2015
- Published9 March 2015
- Published3 March 2015
- Published2 November 2018
- Published20 June 2016
- Published7 June 2019