Stoke City vs Manchester City

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It wasn't pretty but Man City navigated the difficult hurdle of Stoke to book their place in the last 16 of the FA Cup. A good solid display.

FULL TIME: Stoke 0-1 Man City.

City are using all their power to run down the clock and see the game out. Stoke have lacked the imagination to threaten them.

Aguero chases a loose ball but is met by Sorensen just inside the Stoke half and the ball cannons away and out of reach of the striker. Good improvisational goalkeeping from the Stoke man.

City are camped out in their own half with only two minutes to play but they are relatively comfortable defending their lead.

City have a throw deep in their own half which Zabaleta trots slowly over to take.

A long ball in the direction of Crouch drifts out of play for a goal kick. Stoke's FA Cup hopes are evaporating quickly.

Five minutes of added time.

Time for one last long throw from Shotton, the ball falls to Jerome but he swings wildly and hits his shot over.

Desperate moments as Stoke attack, Etherington opts not to shoot and plays in Walters who crosses for Crouch but he can't meet it and the ball drops to Jerome whose shot is blocked before City clear the ball.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Dzeko's name is taken for a challenge on Shawcross.

It seems unlikely that Stoke will find a response in the next five minutes.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Jack Rodwell takes to the pitch to replace Tevez. Aguero will drop into a central role, City are closing up shop.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Zabaleta puts Man City ahead!! Tevez and Silva break forward before pinging the ball to Aguero on the left who plays the ball across the area, it rolls all the way to the back post where Zabaleta meets it with a neat finish beyond Sorensen from close range.

A goal seems unlikely at the moment - the game has gone a bit stale.

Crouch is fouled 30 yards from goal but the decision goes against him as he is adjudged to be offside.

Patient play by Stoke has seen them retain possession for a period but they can't break down City's dogged defensive lines. Etherington's cross from the left is eventually headed over by Crouch who jumps above Lescott.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Milner booked for that foul.

Silva takes the corner - there is a lot of jostling in the box involving Walters, Shawcross and Dzeko - but the ball is cleared for Stoke to break until Etherington is tripped by Milner.

Aguero squeezes a shot in from an acute angle and earns another corner.

Good defensive work by Jerome, who chases Clichy down, gives City another corner. Milner's inswinger is headed away by Shotton - no real danger.

The game is getting stretched now and could be decided by a defensive error. 15 minutes remain and we are still goalless.

Dzeko charges into the box from the left wingand shoots across the face of goal but it goes narrowly wide, earning a corner, which is scrambled away by Stoke.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Double sub for Stoke - Crouch and Whitehead are on for Wilkinson and Jones.