Boro survive Ostrava onslaught to make it to group stages

Banik Ostrava 1 Middlesbrough 1 (Middlesbrough win 4-1 on aggregate)

Unsightly violence flared before the second leg of Middlesbrough’s UEFA Cup first-round tie against Czech champions Banik, tarnishing what was meant to be a triumphant first night abroad for Steve McClaren’s side.

On the pitch, Boro scraped through to the second-round group stages, playing the final half-hour with 10 men following a red card for Franck Queudrue.

McClaren was without seven star names in Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Joseph-Desire Job (both hamstring), Mark Viduka (back), Ray Parlour (knee), Chris Riggott (thigh), Ugo Ehiogu (calf) and Michael Reiziger (shoulder).

Ostrava’s goal was a bolt from the blue as Middlesbrough had calmed the early white-hot atmosphere generated by the enthusiasm of the home fans, as well as the ugly pre-match scenes.

Radek Latal and Zdenek Pospech combined in the 19th minute, the latter providing a right-wing cross for David Bystron to crack a 25-yard left-foot volley beyond Mark Schwarzer and reignite Banik’s cause.

Boudewijn Zenden and Szilard Nemeth both missed first-half chances, and that was as close as Boro came until right at the death, after a second-half which belonged entirely to Banik.

Following Queudrue’s first yellow card for deliberate and needless handball in the 49th minute, Schwarzer pulled off a stunning full-stretch save from a Mario Licka shot. Queudrue was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 58th minute, albeit harshly for a foul on Pospech.

Banik continued to press but eventually ran out of ideas and enthusiasm. It led to a moment for Morrison to savour as in the fourth minute of injury time and with Banik committed in attack, he seized on a through-ball from George Boateng to round goalkeeper Martin Raska and slide the ball into an empty net from 20 yards.

BANIK OSTRAVA: Raska, Pospech, Besta, Dvornik, Licka, Latal, Bystron, Zubek, Cizek, Papadopulos, Matusovic.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Parnaby, Cooper, Southgate, Queudrue, Morrison, Boateng, Doriva, Downing, Zenden, Nemeth.

Referee: Matteo Trefoloni (Italy).