Football story by Dominic Taylor, Sat, 08 Apr 2006 09:16:01 GMT


LONDON - Mark Viduka starred in an unlikely comeback for Middlesbrough as they beat Basle 4-1 to book a place in the UEFA Cup semifinals. Steve McClaren's brave substitutions coupled with Boro's fierce determination to win at all costs meant that the home fans had sweet memories of a match that was always going to be tensely fought.

Middlesbrough were left a mountain to climb after Eduardo's 23rd-minute goal for Basle left them needing four goals to win a spot in the semifinals. But they were given some hope as Mark Viduka's powerful run just past the half-hour mark resulted in an equalizer for the home side. McClaren brought in Hasselbaink as the second half began and Viduka was once again the star as he collected a neat pass from Yakubu on 57 minutes to shoot past Zuberbuhler in the Basle goal.

The visitors' woes were compounded when Majstorovic was sent off in the 73rd minute. Six minutes after this Hasselbaink's ripper of a shot put Boro 3-1 in the lead. Maccarone was the unlikely hero for Boro as his goal in the final seconds put his team into the semifinals.

Boro manager Steve McClaren said he always believed his side would win, "I always knew we had goals in us and could do it. I didn't even mind conceding the first goal because I just felt we'd score," he said. "It was an historic night and what a way to do it. It was a fantastic performance, a monumental display." Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink said he was gutted not to be starting, "I was gutted that I didn't start and when we went 1-0 behind I thought, 'Oh dear, here we go again, it sums up my career with medals'," he said. "When I came on I just thought, 'Let's give it everything and look where we can go. But this is absolutely magnificent."

Match Details
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Parnaby, Riggott, Southgate, Queudrue (Maccarone 67), Morrison (Hasselbaink 45), Boateng, Rochemback (Taylor 90), Downing, Viduka, Yakubu.
Goals: Viduka 33, 57, Hasselbaink 79, Maccarone 90.

Basle: Zuberbuhler, Zanni, Majstorovic, Smiljanic, Berner, Degen (Chipperfield 61), Delgado (Ergic 70), Ba, Petric, Sterjovski (Quennoz 85), Eduardo Da Silva.
Goals: Eduardo Da Silva 23.

More Sporting Stuff