Manchester City became the first club to secure their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup with goals from David Silva and Sergio Aguero giving them a comfortable 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough.
City led the tie after three minutes with a goal from Silva, but Aitor Karanka’s side began to creep into the tie as the half went on with good opportunities from Martin de Roon and Rudy Gestede.
It was an entertaining end to the first period with good opportunities for Leroy Sané, Cristhian Stuani, Silva and Yaya Touré but the Cityzens remained just ahead at the break.
City were dominant throughout the second period, with good opportunities from Silva, Agüero and Sané before Agüero doubled their lead after 67 minutes.
Their onslaught didn't stop there as chances for Raheem Sterling and Silva but the damage had already been dealt by that point as City sealed their deserved progression to the final four.
Straight out the traps
Many heading into the Riverside Stadium will have expected a tough game against a City side that are in great form, but they will have found it hard to predict the visitors taking the lead just three minutes in.
It was simple enough from Pep Guardiola’s side, as Touré played a great ball over the top for Pablo Zabaleta with the Argentine playing a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Sterling fluffed his lines with the mis-kick, but Silva was waiting behind him to put it past Brad Guzan despite his feeble efforts to keep it out.
Coming into it
After the taking the lead however City failed to kick with only a half chance from Sané. Their lack of enthusiasm allowed Boro to get into the clash with some decent chances for an equaliser.
The first real opportunity came 20 minutes in when Gestede did well to head the ball down and it landed at the feet of De Roon on the edge of the area, but the Dutchman managed to drag his effort well wide.
Their best chance arrived moments later when a corner into the mixer found the head of Gestede. The striker’s effort was a decent one but Claudio Bravo did well to save as he touched it onto Zabaleta. There was a follow up from the home side but that nestled on the roof of the net.
Matching up
It had been quite the tight knit affair after City had taken the lead, but as the half came to a close both sides had equally decent opportunities to make a change to the scoreline.
The first came from the visitors in the 33rd minute as Sterling played another dangerous ball across the face of Guzan’s goal. It came to Sane at the back post, but it was a poor effort as the German Youngster only found the hands of the American.
The hosts came back at them with a good chance to equalise, De Roon played an excellent ball into the area which found the head of Stuani. His effort looked good but again to no avail as it fell straight into the hands of Bravo.
City went into overdrive in the final seven minutes or so of the first-half, as Guardiola’s side looked to add to their early opener. Agüero had hardly been involved in the opening period, but he did well to pick out Silva in the 38th minute. The Spaniard was looking to grab his second of the clash, but his tame effort was deflected into the arms of Guzan.
Toure was gifted an excellent opportunity three minutes later, with the Ivorian on the end of Kevin De Bruyne’s free-kick into the area but he headed it wide from close range. Sané had the ball in the net for what was the final chance of the half, as he stuck the ball past Guzan from Silva’s pass but the Spaniard was flagged offside.
Cranking up the heat
City came out swinging for the second period as they looked to kill the tie and secure their place at Wembley, and came very close just three minutes after the restart. Touré did well to pick out De Bruyne on the by line with the floating ball. It was a carbon copy of the opening goal with Sterling fluffing his lines and Silva picking it up, but his time his effort was over the crossbar.
They went even closer when Sterling did well moments later with his dangerous cross flicked on by Agüero, but Guzan managed to get a minimal touch to take it on to the far post with the bounce deceiving Silva. There was a follow-up from Zabaleta as a ball in was deflected to the skipper, but the defender's effort from the edge of the area curled wide of Guzan’s post.
City were at it again just after the hour mark as Silva put through Sané on the by-line. The angle was against the German but he forced Guzan to turn it wide at his near post.
The Sané-Silva combination had proven deadly throughout, and they were at it again in the 63rd minute as they looked to secure their side's place under the Wembley arch.
Sané did well to find Silva on the edge of the area, and his low effort looked destined for the bottom corner but Guzan did well to get down and put it wide. The subsequent corner fell well for Sane as he looked to try one from distance, but again Guzan was down well to put it behind.
Booking their place under the arch
A second goal seemed inevitable from the visitors as contest was coming to an end, and City eventually secured their semi-final place with some ease.
It was a poor one to condede from a Boro standpoint as Sané was allowed to run free down the left, he played a good ball into the mixer and Agüero did enough to beat out Fabio and stab it home much to the delight of the traveling support.
The visiting contingent thought it was three just moments later, when Agüero did well to cut inside and hit a stinging shot at Guzan. The American fumbled it into the path of Sterling who had an easy finish, but the flag was already raised for offside.
Making sure of it
Though it looked like they had a comfortable lead, City continued to press as they looked to make their dominance known to the Teesside club.
Sterling did well to find Silva in the 73rd minute and the Spaniard did even better with the touch to cut inside, his effort went through the body of Guzan but the 'keeper was aware enough to smother it on the second attempt.
The home side had hardly been in the second period, but gave their fans some encouragement with a good opportunity 13 minutes from time.
Former City striker Alvaro Negredo did well with the header back into the danger zone, the surprising presence of Fabio was on hand as his header looked to have beaten Bravo but John Stones was there on the line to clear.
The final opportunity of what was an entertaining spectacle inevitably fell at the feet of the visitors with ten minutes to play.
Sterling had proven a handful and he was at it again when he managed to wriggle into the area and get the shot away, but Guzan made sure it was a reasonable scoreline as he got down well to save the Englishman's effort.
City saw out the remaining minutes with ease to give their fans at least one day out at Wembley this season.