Slick Man City cruise into semis
Manchester City cruised into the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 victory at Middlesbrough on Saturday as Pep Guardiola showed he is taking the competition seriously.
Goals from David Silva and Sergio Aguero were scant reward for City as they easily out-classed Middlesbrough, who must have feared such an outcome when they witnessed the team named by Guardiola.
Ominously for Middlesbrough, languishing in the relegation zone after failing to win any of their last 10 Premier League games, all City’s worldclass players were involved, despite the fact they face Monaco in a decisive Champions League last 16 second leg on Wednesday.
“We’re so happy to be through because to reach the semi-finals of this competition is so complicated,” Guardiola said.
“We produced a good performance today. We were there from the first minute. The first goal was important but it was down to how we approached the game. Now we recover good to play another big game on Wednesday.”
City’s extra class soon surfaced as three of Guardiola’s big guns combined to open the scoring in the third minute.
Yaya Toure’s angled pass was headed back across goal by Pablo Zabaleta and any one of three players could have put the ball beyond the goalkeeper Brad Guzan, with Silva applying the finishing touch.
It was a goal destined to further erode the fragile confidence of a Middlesbrough team that struggled to find an immediate response apart from two dreadful tackles, one that earned a caution for Antonio Barragan and another that should have brought the same punishment for Grant Leadbitter.
Leadbitter, whose inevitable booking eventually came at the end of the half, was employed more impressively when Middlesbrough finally troubled City midway through the half.
The midfielder’s corner was met by Rudy Gestede, whose header was parried by goalkeeper Claudio Bravo before Zabaleta completed the clearance on the line. Another header
POCHETTINO APPEALS FOR PEACE
Mauricio Pochettino has pleaded with Tottenham and Millwall fans to keep the peace when the London rivals clash in a potentially volatile FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday.
Since being drawn to face Millwall at White Hart Lane, Tottenham officials have been liasing with police in a bid to a keep a lid on the hooligan gangs threatening to run riot in north London.
There is a history of animosity between the two sets of supporters dating back to violent clashes in the 1970s and the last meeting between the teams was marred by fighting before and after a 2001 pre-season fixture.
MOHIT, UMAKR SHINE IN RIZVI SC’S WIN
Rizvi Sports Club posted 185 for six in 35 overs and then bowled out Ours Cricket Club for 78 in 25.3 overs to win by 107 runs in Late Bhaskar Thakur Memoria U12 selection trial match at Police Gymkhana on Saturday