Cancel the Cup Final Suits!!
11 March 2008
Middlesbrough 0 Cardiff City 2
Could it have been over-confidence? Man u gone, Chelsea gone. Surely Wembley was a formality. Only little Cardiff City in the way.
Well, it was 'Boro who froze on the day and the visitors who were not only up for the fight but who were far and away the better side on the day.
A goal in the first ten minutes was obviously a big help. There were partly justifiable claims for hand ball when McPhail jumped into the ball on the edge of the box but there was no denying the class of Whittingham's finish. Surrounded by no fewer than six defenders, he showed lovely skill to make space and curl an absolute peach into the top corner.
'Boro showed no imagination and all in all this was an incredibly inept display all round. It was no surprise when Dave Jones' side went further ahead. A neat delivery from Whittingham, Johnson unmarked at the back stick, a beautifully guided header back across Schwarzer, game over.
With Wembley so close this was an unbelievably poor performance and it is now Cardiff or Barnsley who will be in the F.A. Cup Final and not sad old 'Boro.
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