FA Cup: Chelsea brush aside Preston North End 4-0, Aston Villa edge past Middlesbrough

Armando Broja emerged as the catalyst for Chelsea’s emphatic victory against Preston North End, with a 4-0 scoreline in the FA Cup third round.

The Albanian forward, who has faced limited playing time due to injuries and the competition from Nicolas Jackson—currently representing Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations—rose to the occasion on Saturday. He initiated the scoring for Chelsea in the second half with a skillful header, connecting with a cross from Malo Gusto in the 58th minute.

The match, which had been lackluster in the first half, shifted gears following Broja’s goal. Chelsea intensified their attack, and shortly after, veteran defender Thiago Silva, having just entered the fray, met Cole Palmer’s corner with a forceful header to double the lead in the 66th minute. Raheem Sterling further widened the gap with a beautifully executed free-kick.

As the match neared its conclusion, Enzo Fernandez found the net, solidifying Chelsea’s dominance. His goal initially required confirmation from a VAR review before the celebrations could officially begin.

Aston Villa edge past Middlesbrough to reach fourth round
The Riverside Stadium bore witness to a moment of late drama as Matty Cash’s decisive strike propelled Aston Villa into the fourth round of the FA Cup. It was a match that seemed to be teetering on the edge of a goalless draw until the 87th minute when Cash unleashed a potent drive from the outside the penalty area. The ball, taking a fortuitous deflection off Middlesbrough’s Emmanuel Latte Lath, found its way into the net, marking Cash’s fourth goal of the current campaign.

This victory marked a significant milestone for Aston Villa, as they had not advanced past the third round of this historic competition since their 2016 triumph over Wycombe. The club, with a storied history of seven FA Cup titles to their name, had been yearning for such a moment, having last hoisted the trophy aloft in the year 1957.

The encounter against Middlesbrough was rife with opportunities for Villa to assert their dominance. A particularly heart-stopping moment came shortly after the commencement of the second half when Jhon Duran soared to connect with a corner kick, only to see his header graze the post and roll out of harm’s way.

Nicolo Zaniolo also came close to changing the score with a speculative effort from distance that narrowly missed the target. However, it was Cash who proved to be the difference between both sides as Villa continue their fine run in the 2023/24 season.