TNT Sports
Boro come, see and conquer
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Published 15/03/2006 at 23:06 GMT
Middlesbrough braved a Roma onslaught to squeeze into the quarter-finals at the expense of the Serie A outfit on Wednesday. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's first-half header was enough to see Boro through on away goals with a 2-1 defeat in the Olimpico.
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The Dutchman's 33rd-minute goal against the run of play gave the Premiership club a priceless away goal at Rome's Olympic Stadium as the tie finished 2-2 on aggregate after Roma winger Mancini hit back twice, including a penalty.
Roma dominated a bad-tempered contest, which was being played less than 24 hours after several Middlesbrough fans were stabbed in clashes with rival fans in the city centre.
Cesare Bovo went closest to capitalising on a string of early chances for the home side with a long-range effort that hit the bar midway through the first half.
But former Chelsea striker Hasselbaink underlined his class when he edged in front of defender Philippe Mexes to brilliantly head a cross from the left into the net.
Roma equalised two minutes before halftime when Rodrigo Taddei broke down the left before cutting the ball back to Mancini to fire into the roof of the net.
The Serie A side kept up the pressure after the break, and went ahead in the 65th minute after a foul by substitute Ray Parlour on 16-year-old striker Stefano Okaka gave Roma a penalty, which Mancini fired home.
However, despite more late pressure the home side failed to grab the goal they needed to win the tie.
"It has to be the greatest night in the club's history," Boro defender Gareth Southgate said.
"Guts got us through. We knew they were a good side and they showed it. We knew we would have to score and we did."
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