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AK GRAZ HOME 24-2-05
Up The Boro Man trademark is owned by ComeOnBoro.com
Schwarzer, Reiziger, Riggott, Southgate, Queudrue, Morrison, Parlour, Zenden, Downing, Job, Hasselbaink
Nash, Graham, Cooper, Parnaby, Job, Nemeth, Davies
A HALF OF TWO GAMES
There was no question of defeat tonight. The backing for the Boro was immense. So was the tension as the teams lined up in the tunnel.
Alen Skoro was in for Kollmann. A striker for a striker. Their second choice. Walter was feeling the chill and Alen was feeling the slippery Riverside surface.
But two early free kicks and Boro were on the defensive. Skippy had his first few touches within six minutes... composure seemed assured but what a wake up call we got as Skippy went for the third cross of the evening far too early. The stalker, Mario Batsina was in the house and suddenly, we were one down...
The sleet started to fall and a depression threatened to descend. We were 12 minutes into the match, a goal down and Graz were looking disciplined. We weren't.
But after a five minute sulk, the crowd lifted the team and Graz did not take advantage of that intermediary period.
When the crowd rose, the Graz players ignored it. But the Beast awoke...
The Greatest Player in the Universe was in the house. The crowd had called and he had answered. Forget about mazy dribbles, blinding the opposition or any other used phrases. Stewart Downing simply 'DOWNINGED' the Graz midfield, defence and anyone else who was around, found James Morrison and we were level on 19 minutes.
Walter shivered in his dugout as a heavy industrial Teesside rain embraced him...
And the rest of the half was played out to a Winter backdrop that Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer would have found hard to come to terms with.
UEFA Cup Update: Schalke 04 and Valencia are out... Already in the last 16, Alkmaar, Steuau Bucharest, Shaktar Donesk, Partisan Belgrade...
THE SECOND HALF...
Boro changed their formation completely for the fourth quarter. Off came goalscorer James Morrison (hail, hail, hail!) and the lackadaisical Joseph Job.
Parnaby and Doriva replaced them. Hopefully, they would stop Graz's creative attacks from midfield. Managers are paid to make big decisions.
A Graz attack in the 48th had the crowd booing. They were unhappy with the lack of spark in our efforts to cut these threats out. 1-1 would have been good enough. 2-2 would take it to extra time. And then penalties...
We didn't need to gamble tonight. Jimmy produced the goods when our senior men combined in our first attack of the half. Zenden played the ball beautifully to Parlour. Ray danced, Jimmy collected and suddenly, Walter wilted...
It felt like goodnight Vienna. But we were playing Graz. So it was goodnight Graz instead...
The Greatest Player in the Universe was immense. Far too good for The Swedish Chef's team. The Austrians couldn't cope with him and he was fouled. Repeatedly.
Holding the advantage, we stood our ground. It was more than enough to deal with what little threat there was from Graz... but wait...
INTO THE RED ZONE...
Walter braved the chill, stepped from his dugout and spurred his team on...
The Greatest Player in the Universe was hacked down, maliciously... on came The Greatest St John's Ambulance Crew in the Universe, laden with stretcher...
This was no chariot for a warrior. Have we gathered more points in the PhysioRoom league table? The Greatest Player in the Universe was now a corpse in prose, four red crossed medical personnel his pall bearers... We wish you well Stewey. It's just a scratch and you can run it off...
Graz had a go. But we defended well and hit them hard in midfield. As the referee checked his watch, Bolo checked his sights and just as he was about to cross, the ref spoiled his fun...
UEFA Cup latest: It's Sporting Lisbon in the next round for a place in the quarter finals... and Newcastle are through as well...
We're through. See you in Lisbon in the last sixteen. Bye Walter...
HERE'S THE PRE-MATCH BUILD UP
Apparently, Austrian manager Walter Schachner thinks that Middlesbrough is a town with only two shovels. Well here's a message from ComeOnBoro.com, Walt.
"Next time you come to Middlesbrough, bring your own bloody shovels then. We may be light on the ground in the shovel department but we have heavy artillery to fire at you tonight in the form of a quality team who are well up for winning this tournament and 25,000 raucous and committed fans who will put the shits up you. You won't find no Benny Hill music in The Riverside Stadium..."
THE CHEEK OF SOME PEOPLE
The Austrians called us arrogant on Wednesday afternoon. Well they can call us what they want because they're going to get their butts kicked tomorrow night! ComeOnBoro...
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