Boro book place in final eight

Middlesbrough emerged from a major test of their European credentials with a Ufea Cup quarter-final place after surviving a major scare in Rome.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had put the Teessiders 2-0 ahead on aggregate with an excellent 32nd-minute header, but a double from Alessandro Mancini either side of half-time - the second from the penalty spot - left the result in doubt right up to the final whistle.

Despite being ravaged by injuries to their strikers, the Italians made a real fist of it and came desperately close with both Mark Schwarzer and the woodwork saving Boro.

But it was Steve McClaren’s side who claimed the prize on away goals after a performance packed with character.

Boro had gone out at the same stage of the competition last year to Sporting Lisbon, who went on to dispose of Newcastle in the quarter-finals despite falling behind 2-0 on aggregate.

But Roma’s comeback fell just short as McClaren, in front of watching England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, was able to tick off another ambition achieved in front of 3,400 ecstatic travelling fans.

McClaren, as expected, restored the nine men he rested for Sunday’s 2-1 Barclays Premiership defeat at Charlton to the starting line-up.

Opposite number Luciano Spalletti had said after the game at the Riverside Stadium that his injury-hit team would be unchanged.

However, after seeing them lose in Serie A for the first time since December 11th at Ascoli at the weekend, he dispensed with Christian Panucci, Leandro Cufre, Alberto Aquilani and Damiano Tommasi and drafted in Cesare Bovo, Sammy Kuffour, Edgar Alvarez and Daniele De Rossi.

The Boro boss had insisted in the run-up to the game that keeping a clean sheet would be the first priority, but that adding a second goal to the one they claimed at home would come a close second.

With 32 minutes gone, he could hardly have been more satisfied with the way things were working out. True, his side had been forced to defend with some resolve as Alvarez caused major problems for full-back Emanuel Pogatetz, and Schwarzer had seen Bovo’s long-range effort come back off the crossbar knowing he was beaten.

However, when Boro mounted their first meaningful attack of the game, winger Stewart Downing found just enough space to deliver an inviting cross to the near post where Hasselbaink expertly glanced it past goalkeeper Gianluca Curci after stealing in front of Philippe Mexes.

There was something irresistible about the move from which Roma levelled on the night, De Rossi linking with Cristian Chivu before Rodrigo Taddei pulled the ball back for Mancini to fire past Schwarzer in the 43rd minute.

Franck Queudrue arrived as a half-time replacement for right-back Andrew Davies, but he was under pressure within three minutes when Mancini escaped and forced a point-blank save from Schwarzer.

The Australian was Boro’s saviour once again on 53 minutes when he palmed away Mancini’s volley as it reared up off the pitch, but he made an even better stop after being left completely exposed three minutes later.

De Rossi looked suspiciously offside when the ball fell to him in front of goal with just the keeper to beat, but Schwarzer dived full length to deny him to the astonishment of the home supporters.

Such was Boro’s need that Yakubu was sacrificed for midfielder Ray Parlour on 58 minutes, and he had an immediate impact, although not the desired one when he felled Roma replacement Stefano Okaka and conceded a 66th-minute penalty.

Brazilian Mancini obliged from the spot to leave the visitors facing an intensely difficult conclusion.

Lee Cattermole hacked away the Brazilian’s 75th-minute free-kick at the near post, and seven minutes from time Chivu went down in the box, but no whistle followed.

Schwarzer had to keep out Mexes’ 85th-minute header from a Taddei corner, and the Frenchman’s departure in injury-time for sarcastically applauding his booking for a foul signalled the end of the home side’s brave challenge.