2007/8 BORO 0 CARDIFF CITY 2
BORO: Schwarzer, Young, Wheater, Huth, Pogatetz,O'Neil (Johnson 59), Arca, Rochemback, Downing,Alves (Mido 46), Sanli. Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Boateng, Grounds.
CARDIFF: Enckelman, McNaughton (Blake 87), Johnson, Loovens,Capaldi, Whittingham, Rae, McPhail, Parry (Sinclair 82),Ramsey, Hasselbaink (Thompson 76). Subs Not Used: Oakes, Purse.
Att: 32,896
(*Was there ever a better chance to win the FA Cup? Cardiff went on to beat Barnsley in the Cup semi-final 1-0, then lost to Portsmouth 1-0 at Wembley.)
Peter Whittingham and Roger Johnson wrote a new chapter in a remarkable FA Cup fairytale as Cardiff pulled off yet another astonishing giant-killing act at Middlesbrough.
The Welsh club, who face a trip to the High Court this week with their very existence under threat, blasted Barclays Premier League Boro out of the competition to book a semi-final trip to Wembley.
City, the only side to take the cup out of England - they did so in 1927 - will now eagerly await a draw which remarkably will include only one top-flight side, Portsmouth, following the demise of giants Manchester United and Chelsea on Saturday.
And the truth is, the Coca-Cola Championship side were full value for their victory as they took the game to Boro throughout.
They forced their way ahead through Peter Whittingham's sensational ninth-minute strike and were in dreamland when defender Roger Johnson headed home a second with just 22 minutes gone.
Thereafter, they not only defended superbly - Stewart Downing's 61st-minute free-kick, which flew inches over the bar, was as close as the home side came to dragging themselves back into the tie - but they might have won even more comfortably.
Dave Jones' side will head for Wembley knowing a good draw could give them a chance of returning for the final on May 17, while opposite number Gareth Southgate now faces a fight for Premier League survival.
The bulk of a crowd of 32,896 - or at least those who remained - made their feelings abundantly clear on the final whistle on a miserable day for the Teessiders.
Cardiff's triumph 81 years ago is the only occasion on which either club has won the trophy with Boro's best effort coming in 1997, when they were runners-up to Chelsea.
But the carnage which had seen Premier League sides fall like nine-pins in this season's competition presented a genuine opportunity for both, and with home advantage, the Teessiders must have fancied their chances before kick-off.
However, with the Riverside Stadium filled to capacity, their hopes were torn apart within a disastrous first 45 minutes.
Full-back Tony Capaldi's long throw had already caused the home defence problems when they failed to deal with another with nine minutes gone.
With Boro appealing in vain for handball, Whittingham shuffled his feet to get a glimpse at goal and then curled a superb shot past Mark Schwarzer and in off the upright.
There was stunned silence from three sides of the stadium, although little could the red and white faithful have expected what was to follow.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who scored 33 goals in 89 appearances for Boro, should have collected his ninth for the Bluebirds this season, but headed Capaldi's cross wide.
However, the reprieve was only temporary and when Johnson dived to meet Whittingham's 22nd-minute free-kick at the far post, he gave Schwarzer no chance once again.
Boro rallied briefly with record signing Afonso Alves forcing a 27th-minute save from Peter Enckelman and then appealing in vain for a penalty after going to ground under Kevin McNaughton's last-ditch challenge.
However, Cardiff continued to look the more threatening and Johnson might have doubled his tally had he got any more power or better direction into a 40th-minute header before Whittingham forced an injury-time save from Schwarzer.
Among the crowd was a flag bearing the slogan 'Spirit of Steaua', and never more had Boro needed the kind of fightback they launched in the UEFA Cup semi-final two seasons ago to see off the Bucharest club having done just the same in the previous round to claw back FC Basle.
Mido's introduction for Alves at the break gave the home side a different focal point, and they started to make an impression as the half wore on.
But Cardiff were not about to surrender their lead without a battle and remained solid in the face of a determined, if often blunt, assault.
They too continued to create chances, Fabio Rochemback having to block a Stephen McPhail drive and then snatch the midfielder's cross just before it made contact with Hasselbaink's forehead with 55 minutes gone.
Downing curled a 61st-minute free-kick just over Enckelman's bar, but Boro had an escape two minutes later when Hasselbaink only just failed to reach a driven cross with the goal at his mercy.
Substitute Steve Thompson might have wrapped things up in style with an 85th-minute header, but directed his effort straight at the keeper, although by then, the already celebrating travelling fans were past caring.
BORO v CARDIFF ... THE HISTORY ...
2007/2008 Sun 09 Mar Middlesbrough 0 - 2 Cardiff City F.A. Cup
1993/1994 Wed 19 Jan Middlesbrough 1 - 2 Cardiff City F.A. Cup
after extra time, 90 minutes 1-1
Sat 08 Jan Cardiff City 2 - 2 Middlesbrough F.A. Cup
1984/1985 Sat 02 Feb Cardiff City 2 - 1 Middlesbrough Second Division
Sat 29 Sep Middlesbrough 3 - 2 Cardiff City Second Division
1983/1984 Sat 03 Mar Cardiff City 2 - 1 Middlesbrough Second Division
Sat 05 Nov Middlesbrough 2 - 0 Cardiff City Second Division
1973/1974 Sat 13 Apr Cardiff City 3 - 2 Middlesbrough Second Division
Sat 17 Nov Middlesbrough 3 - 0 Cardiff City Second Division
1972/1973 Sat 10 Mar Middlesbrough 2 - 0 Cardiff City Second Division
Sat 14 Oct Cardiff City 2 - 0 Middlesbrough Second Division
1971/1972 Sat 01 Jan Cardiff City 1 - 0 Middlesbrough Second Division
Sat 18 Sep Middlesbrough 1 - 0 Cardiff City Second Division
1970/1971 Tue 13 Apr Middlesbrough 1 - 1 Cardiff City Second Division
Sat 03 Oct Cardiff City 3 - 4 Middlesbrough Second Division
1969/1970 Sat 04 Apr Middlesbrough 2 - 1 Cardiff City Second Division
Wed 27 Aug Cardiff City 1 - 0 Middlesbrough Second Division
1968/1969 Sat 29 Mar Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Cardiff City Second Division
Sat 07 Sep Cardiff City 2 - 0 Middlesbrough Second Division
1967/1968 Sat 09 Mar Middlesbrough 2 - 3 Cardiff City Second Division
Tue 24 Oct Cardiff City 3 - 0 Middlesbrough Second Division
1965/1966 Tue 03 May Cardiff City 5 - 3 Middlesbrough Second Division
Sat 20 Nov Middlesbrough 3 - 4 Cardiff City Second Division
1964/1965 Fri 15 Jan Cardiff City 6 - 1 Middlesbrough Second Division
Sat 12 Sep Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Cardiff City Second Division
1963/1964 Fri 24 Apr Middlesbrough 3 - 1 Cardiff City Second Division
Sat 02 Nov Cardiff City 1 - 1 Middlesbrough Second Division
1962/1963 Sat 11 May Middlesbrough 3 - 2 Cardiff City Second Division
Sat 01 Sep Cardiff City 1 - 2 Middlesbrough Second Division
1961/1962 Wed 10 Jan Middlesbrough 1 - 0 Cardiff City F.A. Cup
1960/1961 Mon 03 Oct Middlesbrough 3 - 4 Cardiff City League Cup
1959/1960 Wed 02 Sep Middlesbrough 1 - 1 Cardiff City Second Division
Wed 26 Aug Cardiff City 2 - 0 Middlesbrough Second Division
1958/1959 Sat 21 Feb Middlesbrough 1 - 1 Cardiff City Second Division
Sat 04 Oct Cardiff City 3 - 2 Middlesbrough Second Division
1957/1958 Sat 11 Jan Middlesbrough 4 - 1 Cardiff City Second Division
Sat 07 Sep Cardiff City 0 - 2 Middlesbrough Second Division
1953/1954 Sat 12 Dec Cardiff City 1 - 0 Middlesbrough First Division
Wed 19 Aug Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Cardiff City First Division
1952/1953 Wed 03 Sep Cardiff City 1 - 1 Middlesbrough First Division
Wed 27 Aug Middlesbrough 3 - 0 Cardiff City First Division
1927/1928 Sat 21 Jan Middlesbrough 1 - 2 Cardiff City First Division
Sat 10 Sep Cardiff City 1 - 1 Middlesbrough First Division
1923/1924 Mon 21 Apr Cardiff City 1 - 0 Middlesbrough First Division
Tue 01 Jan Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Cardiff City First Division
1922/1923 Sat 24 Mar Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Cardiff City First Division
Sat 17 Mar Cardiff City 2 - 0 Middlesbrough First Division
1921/1922 Sat 01 Oct Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Cardiff City First Division
Sat 24 Sep Cardiff City 3 - 1 Middlesbrough First Division