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Middlesbrough in UEFA Cup semis
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April 07, 2006 11:59 IST

Middlesbrough pulled off an astonishing fightback to rival Liverpool's Champions League resurrection last season to stun Basel and reach the UEFA [Images] Cup semi-finals on Thursday.

Italian substitute Massimo Maccarone's strike a minute from time gave the English Premier League side the goal they needed to progress, sealing a 4-1 victory and putting them through 4-3 on aggregate and into a meeting with Steaua Bucharest.

Basel, 2-0 up from the first leg, went further ahead with Eduardo's goal on 23 minutes to leave Boro needing to score four.

Australian Mark Viduka got two back and then after Basel were reduced to 10 men after Swedish defender Daniel Majstorovic was sent off, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink rifled in a third before Maccarone calmly slotted in a rebound to cue wild celebrations at the Riverside.

"It was a monumental display to come through this," said Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren .

"I've got a happy dressing room and deservedly so.

"We felt the last 20 minutes would be ours with the energy they expended in the first hour, once we got the second goal we felt we could get two more.

"It's a historic night, there is no better way to win a game than how we've just won that."

Former European champions Steaua edged past city rivals Rapid on away goals after a goalless draw at the Liu Manoliu stadium left the tie all-square at 1-1 on aggregate.

WENT THROUGH

Competition favourites Schalke 04 will meet Spain's Sevilla in the other semi-final. The 1997 winners went through 4-2 against Levski Sofia after a 1-1 draw in Gelsenkirchen. Sevilla's 1-1 draw in Russia [Images] with Zenit St Petersburg [Images] left the Spanish Primera Liga side 5-2 winners.

Banel Nicolita's first-leg goal for Steaua proved decisive as a tense Bucharest derby was dominated by defences.

"Steaua got a historic qualification, but both teams deserved to go further," Steaua coach Cosmin Olaroiu said.

"For the first time in my life I'm happy with a 0-0 draw."

Steaua and Rapid fans clashed in the city before kickoff, police detaining 20 fans for fighting.

Rapid substitute Emil Dica wasted a huge opportunity two minutes from time when he failed to score from three metres.

Steaua will be Romania's first UEFA Cup semi-finalists for 23 years -- Universitatea Craiova lost on away goals to Benfica in 1983.

Sevilla, 4-1 up from the first leg, never looked like relinquishing their advantage in a snowy St Petersburg despite going a goal down.

South Korean midfielder Hyun Young-min, the first player from his country to join a Russian top-flight team when he joined from Ulsan in January, pounced after a goalmouth scramble but Kepa levelled for the Spaniards.

Both sides finished with 10 men, Kepa red-carded for Sevilla and Ivica Krizanac following a few minutes later. Zenit keeper Vyacheslav Malafeev saved Brazilian Daniel's penalty 16 minutes from time.

Schalke 04 made it safely through. The German side, leading 3-1 from the first game in Sofia, fell behind in the 25th minute when Emil Angelov tapped in for Levski but that still left the visitors needing two goals.

Kevin Kuranyi and Soren Larsen missed good chances before Lincoln pounced on a loose ball in the area to level in the 58th minute.



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