Middlesbrough's Fabio Rochemback (right) challenge's Cardiff City's Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink during their English FA Cup quarter-final soccer match at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, England, yesterday. - AP
LONDON (AP):
Cardiff extended the run of FA Cup upsets yesterday with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough, putting the Welsh team in the semi-finals of the English competition for the first time since it won in 1927.
Peter Whittingham and Roger Johnson scored at Riverside Stadium for Cardiff, the only team from outside England to have won the trophy.
West Bromwich Albion joined Cardiff in the semi-finals with a 5-1 win at League One club Bristol Rovers, led by a hat-trick from Ishmael Miller.
In the Premier League, Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw at Wigan. The Gunners have 66 points, leading Manchester United by two points, but the Red Devils have played one game less.
Everton kept up with Liverpool in the race for fourth place with a 1-0 win at Sunderland and Tottenham beat 10-man West Ham 4-0.
Portsmouth are the only Premier League club in the FA Cup semi-finals, with League Championship Barnsley taking the other berth.
Cardiff went ahead in the ninth minute, when Whittingham collected a long throw from Tony Capaldi to curl a shot into the top corner. Referee Mike Dean dismissed claims from Middlesbrough players that a Cardiff player touched the ball with his hand on its way into the box.
Doubled lead
The Bluebirds doubled their lead in the 22nd minute when Roger Johnson dived to head in a free kick from Whittingham.
Middlesbrough, which lost to Chelsea in the 1997 FA Cup final, are ranked 12th in the Premier League. Cardiff are 14th in the League Championship.
"We played some good football and defended when we had to. The win was thoroughly deserved and we performed fantastically," Cardiff manager Dave Jones said. "I don't think Middlesbrough can have any complaints. We knew if we played to our potential we would have a chance and we got what we deserved."
Miller scored in the 30th, 69th and 85th minutes to help West Brom reach the semi-finals for the first-time since 1982.
James Morrison had put West Brom ahead in the 16th minute from a cross from Roman Bednar. Kevin Phillips scored West Brom's fourth goal in the 73rd.
Bristol Rovers pulled a goal back through Danny Coles in the 32nd.
West Brom are fourth in the League Championship and challenging for promotion to the Premier League. Rovers are in 17th place in League One, a division below. West Brom have won the FA Cup five times - the most of any club still left in the competition.
Bizarre weekend
"It's been a bizarre weekend for the FA Cup and we knew we had a fantastic chance," Phillips said. "We had to be professional tonight, keep it tight and take our chances and we did that, and what an opportunity now."
Barnsley and Portsmouth both reached the semi-finals on Saturday with upsets. Portsmouth's 1-0 win was its first at Manchester United in 51 years, while Barnsley beat Chelsea by the same margin, proving its elimination of Liverpool in the previous round was no fluke. The semi-finals draw is set for today.
Emmanuel Adebayor, Nicklas Bendtner and Cesc Fabregas all had multiple chances for Arsenal, but the club's passing game was affected by the poor condition of Wigan's field.
The JJB Stadium is also home to rugby league club Wigan Warriors, which played on the field a week ago.
"The pitch is a disaster," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "It is disrespectful for the fans who come and pay money to see that."
It's the third consecutive league draw for Arsenal and comes five days after it eliminated defending champion AC Milan from the Champions League.
"It is always an anticlimax to come from the San Siro to Wigan," Wenger said. "To go from playing in the Champions League against one of the biggest clubs in the world to one fighting for Premier League survival is always going to be difficult."
Only goal
Everton scored the only goal of the game when Andrew Johnson put a cross from Mikel Arteta into the net in the 55th minute. The Toffees now have 56 points, the same as Liverpool.
Sunderland, who were beaten by Everton 7-1 at Goodison Park in November, remain in 16th place.
Tottenham beat London rival West Ham 4-0 with two goals from Dimitar Berbatov in the first 15 minutes, with Tom Huddlestone setting up both.
Huddlestone's free kick was headed in by Berbatov in the eighth minute. Three minutes later, the two combined again for Berbatov's second header.
Spurs defender Gilberto made it 3-0 in the 85th and Darren Bent headed the fourth in injury time.
West Ham lost Luis Boa Morte in the 44th minute because of a second yellow card after fouls on Huddlestone and Aaron Lennon.
