Boro keep dream alive

Steaua Bucharest 1 Middlesbrough 0

The Teessiders went down 1-0 to Nicolae Dica’s 30th-minute goal at the Lia Manoliu Stadium in Bucharest as Steaua threatened to take control of the tie.

Had keeper Mark Schwarzer not produced fine second-half saves from defender Dorin Goian and Dica, Boro would have headed home facing semi-final heartache.

But McClaren’s men will now have everything to play for at the Riverside Stadium next Thursday night with the prize of a trip to the final in Eindhoven next month up for grabs.

“I thought in the first half, we were very good,” he said. “I thought we created chances and they didn’t quite drop for us and their goalkeeper made good saves.

“I felt we were in control despite conceding the goal. But in the second half, and the last 20 minutes especially, we had to change things around to freshen things up, we made mistakes through fatigue, we had to dig in and Mark Schwarzer made excellent saves.

“It could have been worse. At 2-0 or 3-0, I think it would have been impossible to come back. At 1-0, I saw enough in the game to know we will create chances; if we take them, we have a good chance in the tie.

“We’ve got to be really up for the game, the players, the city, and the crowd, and we’ve got to create an atmosphere like we played in tonight. It was a real European night, an intimidating atmosphere against a very, very good team.

“But next week will be a completely different game. I know Steaua Bucharest have a very good away record, but we can score goals and I saw enough tonight to know we can score, so it will be very interesting.”

The Romanians will be hampered next week by the loss of dangerous winger Banel Nicolita and fellow midfielder Sorin Paraschiv, who will both be suspended after picking up their third yellow cards in this season’s competition.

However Cosmin Olaroiu’s men showed enough to suggest they will present just as big a threat next week.

“Everybody who saw the game knows we came across a very good Bucharest team,” he said.

“The players were delighted after the game because we are still in the tie. In a couple of situations in the second half, we could have gone two down and that would have been an impossible situation for us.

“The players are delighted. They know we can do better, they know we can play better and at home, we can do that.”

Steaua coach Olaroiu was happy enough with the way his side performed on the night, but admitted they could yet be made to pay for not taking more of their chances.

“What can I say?” he said. “It was a tough game for us.

“We played against a very organised team with good players and good quality. We won 1-0, but unfortunately we missed a few chances in the second half.

“If we had scored when we had the chances, maybe it would be easy for us in the second match.

“But we didn’t concede a goal and that’s good for us. That’s what we wanted before the game.

“We trust we can do a good job in the second game.”

Olaroiu admitted the loss of Nicolita in particular will leave him without one of his most productive players for the game at the Riverside.

“Nicolita is a fast player, he is a good player and he’s important for us in our attack because he scores goals and he makes opportunities for other players.

STEAUA BUCHAREST: Carlos, Ogararu, Ghionea, Goian, Marin, Radoi, Bostina, Paraschiv (Lovin 86), Dica, Nicolita, Oprita (Cristea 89).

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Parnaby, Ehiogu, Bates, Queudrue, Boateng, Rochemback, Downing, Morrison (Parlour 70), Yakubu (Maccarone 70), Hasselbaink.

Referee: Alain Hamer (Luxembourg).

* In last night’s other semi-final first leg, Schalke were held to a scoreless draw in Germany by tournament favourites Seville.