Sport category: Soccer Middlesbrough 4-1 Basle agg 4-3
Date: 07-04-2006 13:58
Massimo Maccarone struck a 90th-minute winner as Middlesbrough produced an astonishing comeback to reach the Uefa Cup semi-finals.
Eduardo's 23rd-minute tap-in for Basle left Boro needing four goals to win.
But Mark Viduka pulled one back before half-time with a powerful run and shot and angled in a second before Daniel Majstorovic was sent off for Basle.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's stunning shot made it 3-3, leaving fellow substitute Maccarone to slide home the winner.
The unlikely comeback, which booked Middlesbrough a semi-final meeting with Steaua Bucharest, was reward for some brave changes by Steve McClaren.
The Boro boss threw caution to the wind at half-time by introducing Hasselbaink to play alongside Viduka and Yakubu, and then later brought on Maccarone as Basle stumbled.
Indeed, his side might have considered themselves unlucky to have gone behind after a storming start to the game.
Inside a minute, Yakubu's challenge forced Basle keeper Pascal Zuberuehler to fumble the ball, but the striker hooked his shot narrowly wide.
That incident infused new belief into the home fans and on 14 minutes, they were appealing for a penalty.
Yakubu burst into the box and was clumsily brought down by Mile Sterjovski, with replays showing it deserved far more than the half-hearted appeal the Boro players mustered.
But a momentary lapse at the back cost the hosts dear.
Stuart Parnaby was not quick enough to prevent Boris Smiljanic heading across goal where Eduardo easily beat Gareth Southgate to the ball and smashed home.
With Boro now needing four goals to win, the Riverside Stadium fell silent, but the hosts stuck to their task.
Viduka gave them the lifeline their first-half display deserved when he shrugged off Majstorovic's challenge before wrong-footing Zuberuehler.
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Massimo Maccarone struck a 90th-minute winner as Middlesbrough produced an astonishing comeback to reach the Uefa Cup semi-finals.