It’s been a great week of fifth round FA Cup.
A midweek to be precise and, while this SBOTOP observer hopes the ties are restored to their traditional weekends (with replays) from next season, it would be unfair to say the change had a negative impact.
For the magic of the cup is still alive and well and, for two clubs in particular, that was very evident.
Never was that clearer than in the north-west and north-east of England.
Our FA Cup 2022 betting odds priced the visitors to Goodison Park at 1X2 @ 13.50 and that was hardly surprising.
After all, Boreham Wood are 78 places below Everton on the league ladder.
Yet the non-league side didn’t arrive on Merseyside gripped by a sense of trepidation.
Instead, Luke Garrard and his players were in ebullient mood, viewing their tie with Everton as “a free hit”.
Were they ever likely to cause what would go down as one of the competition’s biggest ever upsets? Not one bit.
But it was still a wonderful occasion as the hosts – playing a mixture of first-teamers and reserves – joined forces to welcome their counterparts, including an emotive moment as the home players came onto the pitch draped in Ukraine flags, while Boreham Wood carried Ukraine flags.
Everton, who eventually won 2-0, will travel to Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals.
Could the Eagles really be genuine contenders to win the FA Cup for the first time in their history?
Well, they made it to the 2016 showpiece – their first final appearance for more than 25 years – and are now dreaming of Wembley again granted, the semi-finals are also now played at the national stadium.
Certainly, their manager Patrick Vieira knows what it’s like to win the world’s most famous cup competition, as does Toffees boss Frank Lampard – he was a four-time winner with Arsenal and also part of the Manchester City squad that won the trophy in 2011.
The Londoners may well start to believe it could be their year after reaching the last eight following a functional rather than fantastic showing against spirited Stoke City.
Vieira has been hailed for developing a more attractive Palace side but will have been pleased with the character shown to fight on – having previously called for more grit and determination from this squad.
Everton’s city rivals Liverpool, meanwhile, will face one of Championship sides Nottingham Forest or Huddersfield who meet in the remaining fifth round tie on Monday.
There will be one all-Premier League tie in the sixth round after Southampton’s reward for beating West Ham was a home tie with 2019 winners Manchester City.
The outcome of their trip to Cambridgeshire was never in doubt but Peterborough deserve credit for their performance against England’s champions.
In the end, the gap between the side at the top of the Premier League and the outfit rock bottom of the Championship was clear.
Riyad Mahrez put the league leaders ahead with their first attempt on target before Jack Grealish – the most expensive British player of all time – sealed a hard-fought win and City’s place in the quarter-finals.
And what of Chelsea – last season’s runners-up?
Well, they survived a scare against Luton Town to reach the quarter-finals in a tie overshadowed by the big FA Cup 2022 news that owner Roman Abramovich’s decision to sell the Stamford Bridge club.
Abramovich made the announcement an hour before kick-off after growing speculation he would put Chelsea up for sale following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
More Championship opposition now await in the last eight in the form of a side which has been the team of the competition so far.
After they shocked Manchester United in the fourth round, I never thought for one minute that lightning could strike twice.
In fact, I said as much when previewing this encounter down by the Riverside.
Yet here were Middlesbrough causing more FA Cup chaos against a manager who won the trophy just a few years ago.
Substitute Josh Coburn scored a fine winner in extra time as, buoyed by a sell-out home crowd for the first time in five years, they stunned Tottenham.
Chris Wilder’s side matched their Premier League opponents throughout and when Coburn latched on to Matt Crooks’ pass in the 107th minute, the 19 year-old thumped an effort beyond Hugo Lloris and into the far corner.
Whether or not the Teesiders make the Championship play-offs this season which is surely their priority, they will always have this cup run to savour.
Chelsea can not afford to be complacent in a few weeks time or they risk going the same way as United and Spurs.
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