Aussies Through To Uefa Cup Quarters

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Qantas Socceroo goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer played a major role in Middlesbrough’s continuation in the UEFA Cup, while his Australian team mates Scott Chipperfield and Mile Sterjovski were also involved as FC Basel advances at the expense of French side Strasbourg.

Qantas Socceroo goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer played a major role in Middlesbrough-s continuation in the UEFA Cup, while his Australian team mates Scott Chipperfield and Mile Sterjovski were also involved as FC Basel advances at the expense of French side Strasbourg.

Schwarzer (pictured right after the match) has earned the praise of Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren after making several outstanding saves to deny AS Roma the goal they needed to advance to the quarter finals at Boro-s expense.

Boro, with Mark Viduka remaining on the bench for the entire match, had taken the lead through Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, but AS Roma hit back with two goals to Alessandro Mancini.

With the tie locked at 2-2, but Boro ahead on the away goals rule, AS Roma threw everything they had at Boro, but Schwarzer proved to be the hero with point-blank saves from Alessandro Mancini and Daniele De Rossi.

"In defining moments, Mark made vital saves at the right time, and that's what we needed," said McClaren.

"He kept a clean sheet at the Riverside which more or less put us in the driving seat and won us this tie."

Chipperfield made his comeback after several weeks on the sidelines with a bruised kidney, to help FC Basel draw 2-2 away in Strasbourg and 4-2 on aggregate.

Chipperfield came on with 10 minutes to go, while his Qantas Socceroo Mile Sterjovski played a full game, as he tries to force his way into the World Cup squad.

Meanwhile, Qantas Socceroo Harry Kewell also had a major hand in Liverpool-s 5-1 win over Fulham on Wednesday night, with his corner after 16 minutes leading to Robbie Fowler-s first goal for the club since his return and then his cross forcing an own goal from Michael Brown in the 34th minute. Kewell was replaced late in the match.