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MIDDLESBROUGH v DNIPRO, UEFA CUP, MATCH REPORT
Schwarzer, Parnaby, Bates, Riggott, Queudrue, Pogatetz, Doriva, Mendieta (Johnson 60), Morrison, Yakubu (Maccarone 56), Viduka
Jones, Kennedy, Boateng, Nemeth, Hasselbaink
Dnipro fielded seven Ukrainian internationals tonight. Steve McClaren fielded the same 5-3-2 formation that had seen Everton and Manchester United defeated with Mark Viduka coming in for JFH, Doriva replacing the cup-tied Rochemback and James Morrison in for George Boateng. Our sixth captain in three games was Mark Schwarzer.
THE FIRST HALF
The meagre 12,953 crowd was in good voice as Boro made a brisk start without creating anything useful in the very eary stages.
The newly resurgent Mendieta had our first meaningful strike, forcing a diving save from goalkeeper Artem Kusliy. He teed himself up for another just a couple of minutes later and although it went wide, he had already shown that Saturday was no flash in the pan.
Dnipro had looked fairly comfortable on the ball after fifteen minutes but the pace was being forced by Boro, who were happy to play keep-ball when they could and bide their time until the scoring opportunities came.
The management team started to encourage the side to get forward more and Boro did indeed pick up the pace and take on a more attacking approach.
But it didn't last long however as Dnipro's reaction was to shut up shop by putting everybody behind the ball and waiting for Boro to come forward so they could hit us on the counter attack.
Boro were wise to these tactics and went back to biding their time. They didn't have to bide it for too long.
Yakubu played that man Mendieta into space on the far side and the move led to a one-two with Yakubu who struck the sweetest shot from just inside the box for his seventh of the season.
MIDDLESBROUGH 1 DNIPRO 0 (Yakubu 36 mins)
Gaizka Mendieta nearly added another just a minute later. Once again he made space for himself and got in a shot out of nothing that he was unlucky to see go wide.
The goal gave Boro new impetus and changed the previously slack pace of the game but there was no more meaningful action in the first half as it faded out.
Dnipro had done their homework and worked out how best to deal with our new wing-back system. Parnaby and Pogotetz had been stifled for most of the game but the good work by the Ukrainians was not enough to prevent Boro going into the break ahead.
FIRST HALF FAN REACTION
"Dnipro were hard to break down but a flash of brilliance by Mendi and The Yak opened them up."
Boro on the Beach
"Nobody except Mendi is getting hold of it. Morrison looks nervous and where is the pass and move- the little triangles etc? It's very static."
Big Shot
THE SECOND HALF
Boro started very well, coming out with all guns blazing and displaying the positivity that was missing in the early part of the season. Mendieta was menacing and the wing-backs were starting to get forward.
And Boro doubled their lead on fourty-nine minutes when some clean passing movement culminated in a brilliant twenty-yard strike from Mark Viduka that would have taken the keeper's hand off if he had tried to catch it.
MIDDLESBROUGH 2 DNIPRO 0 (Viduka 50 mins)
Boro went in search of a third and nearly got it when James Morrison played Mendieta into space but his final touch deserted him unfortunately.
But Morrison was not to be out off as he surged forward again and took the shot himself this time. On this occasion, the keeper did actually stop it but the V-Bomber was there to pick up the pieces.
MIDDLESBROUGH 3 DNIPRO 0 (Viduka 55 mins)
Yakubu was taken off just before the game restarted and on came Massimo Maccarone.
Massimo nearly scored a few minutes after coming on when he was presented with a clear chance by Mark Viduka but his attempted header never connected with the ball.
Gaizka Mendieta was withdrawn on sixty minutes giving Jason Kennedy a chance to grab a piece of the action.
Boro were all over desperate Dnipro now and the attacking moves were coming freely by this stage. James Morrison, gaining in confidence as the match progressed was giving keeper Kusliy nightmares as another crashing shot headed goalwards.
Boro made another substitution on seventy minutes, The Lizard making a rare appearance as he replaced two goal hero Mark Viduka, who always gets subbed when he's on a hat-trick. Maybe he has a large hat-trick bonus in his contract?
But joking aside, Steve McClaren got this one absolutely right, again. After all the criticism that has been levelled at him on these very pages, it is a pleasure to now be in a position to praise him.
And seven goals in two home games, one against the dominant Englsh team of this generation and the other in the UEFA Cup deserves all the praise that can possibly be given to one man.
Boro's substitutions were obviously made with Sunday's trip to Everton in mind and we did lose some momentum after Viduka and Mendieta were withdrawn.
But at 3-0 up against a team who had produced no shots on target so far, we were right to pack our big guns away and save them for the next important challenge.
INTO THE RED ZONE
Boro were looking for a fourth in the last ten minutes and ventured forward regularly, Maccarone in particular trying hard to forge out a further scoring opportunity.
The way that Boro kept working as the game drew to a close was very impressive. With the draw at Xanthi the only occasion where we haven't achieved a win in Europe in this campaign, are we now the most successful English team in Europe this season?
Maybe we really can be saying that at the end of the season. Party in Eindhoven anyone? Geroge Hardwick would have been proud tonight.
FULL TIME FAN REACTION
"I really think we are going to win the UEFA Cup this season. We just seem to cruise it in these UEFA Cup matches..."
Mike_Reid
Full time whistle - 2149 : Report online - 2150
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