By Gareth James

Cardiff City’s FA Cup journey will continue against Premier League opposition after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Stoke City was rewarded in the draw by a fifth-round clash away to Aston Villa.

The Bluebirds, currently battling to pull further away from the relegation scrap in the Championship, held their nerve at the Bet365 Stadium in a thrilling contest that ended 3-3 after extra time, with goalkeeper Ethan Horvath emerging as the hero.

Horvath, who was one of nine changes to the starting line-up, produced the decisive save from Michael Rose in the shoot-out before Rubin Colwill coolly converted the winning penalty, sealing Cardiff’s place in the last 16 for the first time in 11 years.

“I want to do my best for the team whenever I get the chance to play,” said Horvath, who has lost his starting place in the Championship to Jak Alnwick.

“We all know how historic the FA Cup is. It’s kind of a no-pressure game, it doesn’t count towards the league but we want to go as far as possible.”

Cardiff City will face Aston Villa at Villa Park in the FA Cup Fifth Round ⚽️#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/lDkrJqUWsI

— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) February 10, 2025

The win was another example of Cardiff’s resilience this season, and Horvath credited meticulous preparation for his key moment in the shootout.

“Before every game, as keepers we watch films [of opponents’ penalties] and do our homework, try to make the best of the situation,” the USA international explained.

“It’s not just myself, all the keepers do the homework on the opposition before every game.

“All credit to the team, we stayed together and showed how far we’ve come from the start of this season.”

Cardiff will now turn their attention to a daunting fifth-round tie against Villa at Villa Park.

The Premier League side, managed by Unai Emery, secured their passage with a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, having also eliminated West Ham United earlier in the competition.

The last time Cardiff and Villa met in the FA Cup was back in 1949, and their most recent clash in any competition came in 2018 when both clubs were battling in the Championship.

Now, the Bluebirds have an opportunity to test themselves against a high-flying Premier League side, with a quarter-final spot at stake.

Fifth-round ties are scheduled to take place across the weekend of March 1-2, giving Cardiff time to prepare for what will undoubtedly be one of their biggest profile games of the season.