Maccarone proves his worth

Roland

6 april 2006, 23:10

Record signing Massimo Maccarone chose the perfect time to pay off his 8.15million transfer fee as Middlesbrough staged a stunning fightback to march into the UEFA Cup semi-finals with a 4-1 win over Basle.

The Teessiders' cause looked lost when Brazilian striker Eduardo made the aggregate score 3-0 with 23 minutes gone, but on a tension-packed night at the Riverside Stadium, Steve McClaren's men showed true grit to overcome near-impossible odds.

Basle, who had seen defender Daniel Majstorovic sent off for a second bookable offence with 17 minutes remaining, had literally seconds of normal time to negotiate to go through on the away goals rule after a Mark Viduka double and a third from substitute Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had dragged Boro right back into the tie. But Maccarone snatched victory at the death, firing home after 'keeper Pascal Zuberbuhler had parried Fabio Rochemback's shot to book a semi-final showdown with Steaua Bucharest.