Boro Through to UEFA Cup Final

Qantas Socceroo Mark Viduka returned from injury to help Middlesbrough to a remarkable come from behind UEFA Cup semi final win over Steaua Bucharest.

Qantas Socceroo Mark Viduka returned from injury to help Middlesbrough to a remarkable come from behind UEFA Cup semi final win over Steaua Bucharest.

Massimo Maccarone was the Boro hero with another last gasp goal, repeating his effort in the quarter final tie against FC Basel, where his last gasp goal saw Middlesbrough advance after an amazing fight back.

Viduka also played a major role upon his return from a thigh injury, scoring Middlesbrough second goal, as they overcame a three-goal deficit to the Romanian outfit.

Middlesbrough will face Spanish side Sevilla in the final, to be played in Eindhoven on May 10.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Middlesbrough soon found themselves in a familiar predicament that they faced against Basel, with Steaua scoring twice in the opening 25 minutes to take a 3-0 aggregate lead and seemingly on their way to Eindhoven.

But Maccarone, who came on shortly after the Romanians second goal, to replace the injured Gareth Southgate, struck back in the 33rd minute to give Boro-s fans hope of another amazing comeback.

Prior to that it was all Steaua, with young Australian goalkeeper Brad Jones, deputizing for the injured Qantas Socceroo keeper Mark Schwarzer, in the thick of the action.

In the 16th minute, he could only parry a Marin shot, with Dica pouncing on the loose ball before slotting home.

Eight minutes later, Jones made a great stop to deny a goal bound header by Goian, but Jones Boro team mate Stuart Parnaby could only divert the ball back to Goian, who hammered home.

Viduka-s and Maccarone-s influence on the match though was soon to bear fruit, as the Australian captain, played in Maccarone who shot home.

Then on 63 minutes, Viduka brought the match scores back level when he powered home a header, but Middlesbrough still needed two more goals and Steaua coming under enormous pressure.

Nine minutes later Boro brought the aggregate scores level, but still behind on the away goals rule, when Chris Riggott pounced on a rebound following a Stewart Downing shot, to set up a tense finish.

And just like against Basel, when all looked lost, Maccarone pounced with a powerful header, with just minutes left on the clock, to set off wild scenes in the Riverside Stadium.

The win will see Middlesbrough play in its first ever European final and will also be a first for Viduka and Schwarzer, if he can overcome the fractured cheekbone he suffered against West Ham last weekend. If Australia-s No.1 doesn-t recover then Jones will again step into the breach and be a reward for his persistence as Schwarzer understudy.