FA Cup holders Arsenal are well on their way to reaching the quarter-finals of this year's competition as they lead Championship side Middlesbrough 2-0 at half time.
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The Gunners were in control for the majority of the first half and almost took the lead inside four minutes when Santi Cazorla's curling free kick was palmed out by Tomas Mejias in the Boro goal.
Ten minutes later, Mejias was again on hand to keep out Olivier Giroud, but the Frenchman would soon get his name on the scoresheet.
The striker stroked home after patient build-up play that eventually saw the ball worked to Kieran Gibbs, who picked out his teammate with a low cutback.
It was two goals in two minutes for Giroud soon after as he guided home a first-time volley from a quickly-taken corner, with Boro reacting slowly to Alexis Sanchez's near-post delivery.
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Sanchez then threatened a third for the home side when he charged onto Mesut Ozil's pass but could not beat the onrushing Mejias.
The closest that Boro came to a goal was in the 39th minute when Albert Adomah was given plenty of space outside the box and his low shot was held comfortably by Wojciech Szczesny.
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Pascal Lemesre
