Middlesbrough stutter as Xanthi stage unlikely fightback

Middlesbrough 2 Xanthi 0

After seeing the Teessiders take a 28th-minute lead through George Boateng in a first half dominated by the Barclays Premiership side, Ioannis Matzourakis’ men rallied to such an extent that they looked like claiming a draw until French defender Jacques Paviot deflected Mark Viduka’s 83rd-minute shot into his own net.

Xanthi did not score during their only previous European adventure, but might have done so four times inside six second-half minutes as Boro crumbled at the back.