Viduka Leads Middlesbrough To Uefa Cup Semi's

Qantas Socceroo Mark Viduka has led a Middlesbrough fightback that saw them claim a last gasp 4-3 aggregate win over FC Basel and moved them into the UEFA Cup semi finals.

Qantas Socceroo Mark Viduka has led a Middlesbrough fightback that saw them claim a last gasp 4-3 aggregate win over FC Basel and moved them into the UEFA Cup semi finals.

Viduka (pictured celebrating one of his goals), who scored twice to get Middlesbrough back into the tie after they went 3-0 down on aggregate, described Boro-s win over FC Basel as the most remarkable of his career.

After losing the first leg 2-0 to Basel, who featured Socceroos Mile Sterjovski and Scott Chipperfield off the bench, Boro looked as though they would bow out after going behind at home early.

But a revitalised Viduka, who has been on fire in front of goals in the last couple of months, struck back to score twice and was followed by goals from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and a last gasp goal from Italian Massimo Maccarone.

“I don-t know if it-s the most amazing but it-s definitely up there,” Viduka told Boro-s website www.mfc.co.uk.

“It was a combination of a lot of belief and the fact that we had nothing to lose that spurred us on. When you-re not thinking about defending, just going forward, that-s what you love as an attacking player.”

It looked all gloom though for Boro when Eduardo smashed home after 23 minutes to make the tie 3-0 plus an away goal, which meant that Boro now had to score four goals to advance.

Step up Viduka, who will possibly lead Australia at the World Cup finals in Germany, when he grabbed the equaliser in the 33rd minute, blasting his shot home.

The second half saw Hasselbaink brought on, as it was all-out attack from Steve McClaren.

Viduka was denied in the 55th minute, but two minutes later made it 2-1 when he was picked out by Yakubu, rounded Basel keeper Zuberbuhler and slotted home.

Chipperfield was introduced for Basel with half an hour remaining, but Boro had all the attacking momentum and with 11 minutes remaining Hasselbaink unleashed a 25-yard screamer to bring the tie 3-3 on aggregate, but Basel ahead courtesy of the away goal.

With Basel down to ten-men after Majstorovic was sent off in the 73rd minute and McLaren putting on Maccarone, it was the latter who became the unlikely hero, lashing home a rebound to set off delirious celebrations by the home fans.

Boro now face Romanian side Steaua Bucharest in the semi finals, who drew 0-0 with arch rivals Rapid Bucharest. The other semi final will be between FC Seville (Spain) and Schalke 04 (Germany).