Nairobi News

Third-division Bradford City continued their remarkable progress in the FA Cup by beating Premier League Sunderland 2-0 to reach the quarterfinals on Sunday, while holders Arsenal overcame Middlesbrough.

Bradford, beaten League Cup finalists in 2013, stunned Chelsea 4-2 at Stamford Bridge in round four and they pulled off another upset at Valley Parade courtesy of a John O’Shea own goal and a strike by Sunderland old boy Jon Stead.

“There is always a danger because the expectancy might have been we would win this one after beating Chelsea, but we have kept that underdog spirit,” Bradford manager Phil Parkinson told the BBC.

“After today we would like another game at home. It is incredible for all the players to experience that sell-out atmosphere.

“We had all three sides singing and behind the team and it raises the lads to the next level.”

MONDAY’S DRAW

Bradford, 37 places below Premier League strugglers Sunderland in League One, have reached the last eight for the first time since 1976 and will discover their next opponents in Monday’s draw.

Bradford’s fans witnessed home wins over Arsenal and Aston Villa during their side’s run to the League Cup final two years ago and they had a goal to celebrate within three minutes of kick-off against Sunderland.

Filipe Morais’s free-kick from wide on the right found Billy Clarke at the back post and although his left-foot shot was flying well wide, it struck Sunderland captain O’Shea on the leg and cannoned into the net.

Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher had a penalty appeal waved away and home goalkeeper Ben Williams saved from both Danny Graham and Patrick van Aanholt before Stead made it 2-0 in the 61st minute.

This time Sunderland winger Adam Johnson was at fault, dallying on the ball before playing a clearance straight to James Hanson, whose header freed Stead to squeeze a shot beneath visiting goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

The on-loan Huddersfield Town striker has now scored in all five rounds of this season’s competition.