Roberto Martinez hopes Everton get favourable semi-final draw in Capital One Cup



Tuesday night's 2-0 quarter-final victory at Sky Bet Championship Middlesbrough left the club just one step from Wembley, although the Spaniard is not allowing himself to dream of cup glory just yet.

Martinez said: "At the moment, we can only hope to get a good draw - and when I say a good draw, if you can play the second game at home, that's always what you hope for in a draw.

"And then we need to be as good as we can be in the semi-final."

Everton eased their way into the last four with an accomplished display at the Riverside Stadium, taking control of the game with two stunning goals inside eight first-half minutes with Gerard Deulofeu setting the ball rolling with a fine individual effort before mesmerising the Boro defence to set up Romelu Lukaku for a second.

However, Martinez, who saw his side squander 2-0 and 3-2 leads at Bournemouth to draw 3-3 in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday, was more impressed with the way they managed the remainder of the game.

He said: "We scored two magnificent goals, which is always the hardest thing in football, to score goals from open play, and we took those two goals really well.

"And then it was an internal challenge, after what happened at the weekend, for us to manage the game well with a two-goal lead

It became a completely different part of the game and I was extremely impressed and very satisfied.

"The responsibility we took to learn from what happened at the weekend, it was the perfect way to get through to the semi-final."

Everton do not play again until they welcome Crystal Palace to Goodison Park next Monday, while promotion hopefuls Boro face a tricky trip to Ipswich on Friday evening.

Head coach Aitor Karanka said: "Now we have to forget the cup, to be pleased and proud of the run in this Capital One Cup, playing against Manchester United and against Everton and showing everybody that we are a good side on TV.

"Now we have to be focussed on the game on Friday

That is our challenge, the league."

Source : PA

Source: PA