A goal each from David Silva and Sergio Aguero ensures Guardiola's men beat Middlesbrough 2-0 to enter semis; Pep Guardiola showed he is taking the competition seriously
A goal each from David Silva and Sergio Aguero ensures Guardiola's men beat Middlesbrough 2-0 to enter semis
ADVERTISEMENT
Middlesbrough: Manchester City cruised into the FA Cup semis with a 2-0 win 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 world-class 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. The a goal further eroded the fragile confidence of the Middlesbrough side that struggled to find a response.
Remarkably, the opening stages of the second-half almost brought a replica of City's goal. This time, Kevin de Bruyne redirected Yaya Toure's identical pass across the goal where Silva was waiting again, but this time he wastefully drove his shot over.
City then forced Guzan into making four fine saves within 10 minutes, twice from Leroy Sane and also from Silva and Aguero, who finally found a way past the 'keeper in the 67th minute when he turned in Sane's cross for the second goal.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
