dylanJ
Mar 9th, 2006, 03:20 PM
Middlesbrough earned a priceless 1-0 win over Roma in the first leg of their Uefa Cup encounter at The Riverside on Thursday night.
Yakubu Aiyegbeni's first-half penalty was enough to give Middlesbrough a slender first-leg advantage to take to Rome next week.
The win was no more than Middlesbrough deserved, as Roma struggled to create any clear goalscoring opportunities at a rain-soaked Riverside Stadium.
Middlesbrough began brightly with Roma goalkeeper Gianluca Curci diving bravely at Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's feet to prevent him getting on the end of Yakubu's cross.
Roma went close to scoring on six minutes when Simone Perotta broke into the box from Philippe Mexes's clever pass and Middlesbrough were relieved to see Gareth Southgate on hand to clear the danger from right in front of his own goal.
Middlesbrough were handed the chance to break the deadlock on 11 minutes when Gaizka Mendieta slipped Hasselbaink through on goal and as the Dutchman tried to round the goalkeeper, he was fouled by Curci to win the home side a penalty.
Yakubu kept his cool from the spot, sending Curci the wrong way to send the Riverside into raptures.
Middlesbrough continued to look the more dangerous side and Hasselbaink had a sight of goal on 24 minutes when Roma's defence opened up for him, but the Dutchman hit his weak shot straight at Curci.
The home side fashioned another chance on 34 minutes when the ball dropped invitingly to George Boateng on the edge of the box, but the midfielder flashed his shot well wide of the target.
Roma enjoyed good possession in the first half, but due to their lack of forward options, they were struggling to make any inroads into the Middlesbrough defence.
Middlesbrough continued to push forward at the start of the second half and the impressive Lee Cattermole sliced a left-footed shot wide from the edge of the box three minutes into the second period.
Hasselbaink had a half chance on 55 minutes when Mendieta cleverly chested Yakubu's cross into the path of the Dutchman, who wildly blazed his shot well over the crossbar.
Brazilian ace Alessandro Mancini went close to scoring on 65 minutes when he worked a neat one-two with Perotta on the edge of the box and curled his shot just wide of the far post.
Two minutes later, Hasselbaink fired in a shot from the left which Curci just about parried away from goal.
Roma pushed more men forward as the game wore on, as they went in search of a crucial away goal and Perotta drove a shot over the top on 77 minutes.
Boro goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer was called into the action two minutes later when he had to react quickly to keep out Edgar Alvarez's dangerous cross.
Middlesbrough should have doubled their lead nine minutes from time when substitute Mark Viduka played Mendieta through on goal and with only Curci to beat, the Spaniard wastefully hit his shot over the crossbar.
Emanuel Pogatetz had a half chance for Middlesbrough four minutes from time when he rose highest to meet Stewart Downing's corner, but the Austrian could direct his header on target.
A minute later, Mexes made a brilliant tackle on Viduka inside the box to prevent the Australian getting a shot in on goal.
Mancini forced Schwarzer into a good save in injury time with a long-range strike, which the Australian grabbed at the second time of asking.
Middlesbrough Team Statistics Roma
1 Goals 0
1 1st Half Goals 0
3 Shots on Target 2
6 Shots off Target 5
1 Blocked Shots 2
2 Corners 4
20 Fouls 19
2 Offsides 3
1 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0
58 Passing Success 73.9
27 Tackles 26
77.8 Tackles Success 88.5
36.8 Possession 63.2
49.3 Territorial Advantage 50.7
SOURCE: SKY NEWS
Yakubu Aiyegbeni's first-half penalty was enough to give Middlesbrough a slender first-leg advantage to take to Rome next week.
The win was no more than Middlesbrough deserved, as Roma struggled to create any clear goalscoring opportunities at a rain-soaked Riverside Stadium.
Middlesbrough began brightly with Roma goalkeeper Gianluca Curci diving bravely at Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's feet to prevent him getting on the end of Yakubu's cross.
Roma went close to scoring on six minutes when Simone Perotta broke into the box from Philippe Mexes's clever pass and Middlesbrough were relieved to see Gareth Southgate on hand to clear the danger from right in front of his own goal.
Middlesbrough were handed the chance to break the deadlock on 11 minutes when Gaizka Mendieta slipped Hasselbaink through on goal and as the Dutchman tried to round the goalkeeper, he was fouled by Curci to win the home side a penalty.
Yakubu kept his cool from the spot, sending Curci the wrong way to send the Riverside into raptures.
Middlesbrough continued to look the more dangerous side and Hasselbaink had a sight of goal on 24 minutes when Roma's defence opened up for him, but the Dutchman hit his weak shot straight at Curci.
The home side fashioned another chance on 34 minutes when the ball dropped invitingly to George Boateng on the edge of the box, but the midfielder flashed his shot well wide of the target.
Roma enjoyed good possession in the first half, but due to their lack of forward options, they were struggling to make any inroads into the Middlesbrough defence.
Middlesbrough continued to push forward at the start of the second half and the impressive Lee Cattermole sliced a left-footed shot wide from the edge of the box three minutes into the second period.
Hasselbaink had a half chance on 55 minutes when Mendieta cleverly chested Yakubu's cross into the path of the Dutchman, who wildly blazed his shot well over the crossbar.
Brazilian ace Alessandro Mancini went close to scoring on 65 minutes when he worked a neat one-two with Perotta on the edge of the box and curled his shot just wide of the far post.
Two minutes later, Hasselbaink fired in a shot from the left which Curci just about parried away from goal.
Roma pushed more men forward as the game wore on, as they went in search of a crucial away goal and Perotta drove a shot over the top on 77 minutes.
Boro goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer was called into the action two minutes later when he had to react quickly to keep out Edgar Alvarez's dangerous cross.
Middlesbrough should have doubled their lead nine minutes from time when substitute Mark Viduka played Mendieta through on goal and with only Curci to beat, the Spaniard wastefully hit his shot over the crossbar.
Emanuel Pogatetz had a half chance for Middlesbrough four minutes from time when he rose highest to meet Stewart Downing's corner, but the Austrian could direct his header on target.
A minute later, Mexes made a brilliant tackle on Viduka inside the box to prevent the Australian getting a shot in on goal.
Mancini forced Schwarzer into a good save in injury time with a long-range strike, which the Australian grabbed at the second time of asking.
Middlesbrough Team Statistics Roma
1 Goals 0
1 1st Half Goals 0
3 Shots on Target 2
6 Shots off Target 5
1 Blocked Shots 2
2 Corners 4
20 Fouls 19
2 Offsides 3
1 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0
58 Passing Success 73.9
27 Tackles 26
77.8 Tackles Success 88.5
36.8 Possession 63.2
49.3 Territorial Advantage 50.7
SOURCE: SKY NEWS