Arsenal finally breached Soccer English League Cup, semi-final, first leg

Jon Brodkin

At Highbury

The bad news for Middlesbrough is that they will have to face a full-strength Arsenal when they return here in the FA Cup on Saturday, but such concerns can wait. Last night Juninho's goal gave them a narrow lead to take into next Wednesday's second leg of this semi-final. Boro are moving closer to their first major trophy, assuming one discounts the Anglo-Scottish Cup.

Steve McClaren's team had to soak up plenty of pressure, but some resolute defending against weakened opponents meant Mark Schwarzer's only serious save came from David Bentley's volleyed attempt at an equaliser.

Having rested their most regular goalscorers, Arsenal never looked likely to avoid their first domestic defeat of the season once they were behind, though they appealed vigorously for a late penalty for hand-ball by Juninho.

Boro had the clearer chances overall. Juninho hit a post and Joseph-Desiré Job ought to have made it 2-0 near the end.

It had come as no surprise that Arsenal's starting XI showed nine changes from the one that beat Middlesbrough 4-1 here in the league less than two weeks ago. This competition is bottom of Arsène Wenger's priority list and he fielded his usual English League Cup mix of youth and experience.

Not that this Arsenal team was packed with unknowns. Only three of them have not appeared in the Premiership this season. One of that trio, Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, started his first match up front alongside Nwankwo Kanu, who had delayed his departure for the African Nations Cup.

Kanu was not far away from capitalising on a poor piece of control by Schwarzer early on, but, though Kolo Touré finished a strong run from right-back by striking a low shot just off target, it was Middlesbrough who twice threatened around the quarter-hour.

Juninho was unfortunate to hit the post and see the ball bounce into the arms of Graham Stack after he had created an opportunity from an interchange with George Boateng. Then Massimo Maccarone saw an effort deflected wide.

Those chances, though, did not reflect the flow. Arsenal had much more possession but there was little end product, partly because of misplaced passes but also because Middlesbrough were fighting hard in midfield, especially Boateng, and defending stoutly.

Arsenal tend to thrive on the break but this team did not have the speed for that. Owusu-Abeyie, a former member of the Ajax academy, clearly possesses skill but was twice over-flashy. When Kanu did conjure a chance David Bentley shot over and later Kanu wasted his own good approach work by lifting an effort over the bar.

Middlesbrough, playing Juninho behind the lone striker Maccarone, had hoped to prosper on the counter-attack but, after those early sights of goal, they barely threatened before the interval.

Gaizka Mendieta and Boudwijn Zenden were making little headway, with Arsenal's young full-backs, Touré and Gael Clichy, doing well, and McClaren threw a bottle to the ground in disgust when Juninho misplaced a through-ball to Maccarone.

McClaren will have been happier with Juninho when the Brazilian gave Boro the lead early in the second half, having minutes earlier forced a save from Stack.

The goal stemmed from Martin Keown's slip, which allowed Franck Queudrue to stab a pass to Mendieta. The Spaniard showed good awareness to pick out Juninho, who was in plenty of space to beat Stack with a low shot.

"It is always wonderful to score goals, but we have not got to the final yet," he said. "We have to make sure we get the result in the next game."

ARSENAL: Stack, Toure, Cygan, Keown, Clichy, Parlour, Edu, Silva, Bentley (Smith 73), Kanu, Owusu-Abeyie (Thomas 64). Subs Not Used: Cole, Holloway, Skulason.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Mills, Ehiogu, Riggott, Queudrue, Mendieta (Parnaby 80), Boateng, Doriva, Zenden, Juninho Paulista, Maccarone (Job 77). Subs Not Used: Ricketts, Downing, Jones. Booked: Juninho Paulista, Queudrue, Mills. Goals: Juninho Paulista 53.

Referee: S Dunn (Gloucestershire)

Guardian Service