Fa Cup, Middlesbrough-Tottenham 1-0, Conte eliminated

Conte’s Tottenham clamorous thud at Riverside Stadium: Lumley para, the 19-year-old substitute Coburn scores. With this formula Middlesbrough (Championship club) does the feat and takes the scalp of the Spurs, imprecise and superficial in the game: the team that had killed Manchester United in the last round of the Fa Cup confirms the reputation of “killer great “and eliminated the Londoners in extra time, after putting them on the ropes for over ninety minutes (1-0). For an hour of play, on London Road, the last in the Championship standings holds up against the leaders of the Premier League: in the home of a combative Peterborough United, Manchester City snatches the pass for the Fa Cup quarter-finals. Prediction respected, even if captain Zinchenko and his teammates struggle more than expected. It ends 0-2: Mahrez and Grealish goals decide within seven minutes (with a fine assist from Foden). Vieira’s Crystal Palace uses the home factor (and the category of difference) to beat Stoke City (2-1): Riedewald is the match winner (the other goals are from Kouyaté and Tymon).

PETERBOROUGH-MANCHESTER CITY 0-2

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Six changes compared to the starting eleven who beat Everton on Saturday: from 1 ‘there are Aké, Grealish, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Jesus and Zinchenko. It is the Ukrainian who wears the captain’s armband of the City. And when he steps onto the pitch, holding his country’s flag alongside Peterborough United’s Kent, he receives supportive cheers from across the London Road. In the first half the domination of Guardiola’s team is clear, which asserts the category of difference but never manages to shoot between the goalposts defended by Benda. McCann’s team holds up, struggles and gets close to the big target (10 ‘): Ederson saves on Fuchs. Before returning to the locker room, the home crowd pays tribute to their players with a roar of satisfaction. And on the wave of enthusiasm, at the beginning of the second half, the Peterborough fans chant “City, can we challenge you every week?” (“Can we play you every week?”). The dream of the Blues lasts an hour of play. At 60 ‘Mahrez turns on the light and wakes up his team: the Algerian takes the ball on the right, shows Coulson all his repertoire of dribbling and bags into the farthest corner. Peterborough feels the blow. And in the 67th minute there is the guest doubling: Foden’s tachometer launch, Grealish controls perfectly and deposits behind Benda. The rear of the Championship he puts his heart into it: Mariott engages Ederson in the 71st minute, Benda avoids Grealish’s brace in the 89th minute, while in the 90th minute Laporte shoots from a good position.

MIDDLESBROUGH 1-0 TOTTENHAM

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Conte takes the cup commitment seriously and confirms the starting eleven who made four at Leeds in the last Premier round: Kuluseveski and Romero on the pitch from 1 ‘. Middlesbrough (eighth in the Championship) held the pitch well, while the Spurs tried to hit using the counterattack. The most tempting opportunity of the entire first half happens on Doherty’s feet (39 ‘): the Irishman from Tottenham does not take advantage of Lumley’s empty exit and at the door practically wide open he shoots high to the bottom. At the start of the second half, the hosts, led by Coach Wilder, close to the advantage: from a good position Crooks ‘header ends over the crossbar (55’). At 59 ‘there was a goal from Kane, but the Middlesbrough fans were delighted: a goal offside (and therefore canceled) for the Spurs forward. Conte’s Tottenham struggles to get into gear. The Londoners fail to build and lack precision in passing (losing several balls). At 66 ‘Howson tries, at 81’ Balogun: for the moment, nothing to do for a strong-willed, solid and proactive Middlesbrough. In the final, the former Inter coach plays the Bergwijn card: the Dutchman, with a personal inspiration, forces McNair to overtime (82 ‘). Thrill for the Spurs in the 90th minute, with the opposing double chance by Jones-Howson. In extremis Son touches the 0-1 header, but Lumley says no to the South Korean and sends the match to extra time (90 + 3 ‘). Botta and put away in extra time: Lloris saves on Tavernier (104 ‘), Lumley does the same on Son (105’). At 107 ‘Middlesbrough put the icing on their game: a Crooks touch for the 19-year-old Coburn (who had entered ten minutes earlier), who swelled the net with power. Son crashes into yet another save from Lumley (109 ‘). And Londoners say goodbye to the Fa Cup. The party explodes at Riverside Stadium.

CRYSTAL PALACE-STOKE CITY 2-1

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In Selhurst Park, in the first half, little or nothing happens. The game flows on the tracks of equilibrium. And neither team manages to shoot in the opponent’s goal. The second half opens with the advantage of the Londoners of Mr. Vieira, scored with the left-handed by Kouyaté on the developments of a corner (53 ‘). Immediate reaction of the Potters (O’Neill’s Stoke is fifteenth in the Championship): choral action of the guests, finished by Tymon, who uses the assist of Sawyers and stabs Butland in the corner (58 ‘). The race is livened up. To decide it, in favor of the hosts, is the substitute Riedewald: six minutes after his entry into the field, the Dutchman beats Bonham from the center-left and sends him to the quarter-finals of the Fa Cup.