Blues rocked as Viduka leaves his mark

SUBSTITUTE Mark Viduka completed a remarkable fightback as Middlesbrough condemned Chelsea to defeat at the Riverside Stadium for the second successive season.

The Australian blasted home a last-minute winner after defender Emanuel Pogatetz pegged the visitors back 10 minutes earlier.

It looked like being plain sailing for the visitors after £30 million hitman Andriy Shevchenko put them in front after 16 minutes.

But Salomon Kalou failed to make it 2-0 within two minutes and Frank Lampard hit the bar with a second-half header to leave Boro in with a chance.

Aiyegbeni Yakubu, who had earlier wasted two golden opportunities, might have earned his side a penalty with 15 minutes remaining, but his strike partner supplied the decisive touch in the nick of time to give new manager Gareth Southgate a dream start in his opening home game.

In the first quarter of an hour, Southgate’s team looked well capable of repeating their heroics against the champions last season when they sent them back to London on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline.

Indeed, had lone striker Yakubu, a scorer on that day six months ago, made better contact with Stewart Downing’s 12th-minute cross, they would have been in front, and deservedly so.

But Boro allowed the visitors to fight their way back into the game.

Chelsea, for whom Kalou replaced Arjen Robben before kick-off after the Dutchman was injured in the warm-up, had hardly mounted a serious attack when they took the lead.

Wayne Bridge’s pull-back was perfect for Shevchenko, and although the Ukrainian’s strike was not the sweetest, it was good enough to beat the wrong-footed Mark Schwarzer.

It might have been 2-0 within two minutes had Kalou managed to make contact with Didier Drogba’s cross.

Jose Mourinho’s men stepped up a gear and Schwarzer had to tip a 27th-minute free-kick around the post.

Only Chris Riggott’s intervention prevented Drogba from converting Paulo Ferreira’s cross, and Essien called Schwarzer into action with a well-struck drive. To their credit, Boro started to force their way into the game in the second half with Brazilian Fabio Rochemback making an impression.

However, the game might have been over after 62 minutes after Shevchenko crossed for Lampard, whose header came down off the crossbar and was punched away by Schwarzer.

Yakubu then passed up another gilt-edged chance, beating the offside trap to reach Downing’s cross, but failing to hit the target.

Viduka was introduced as a 72nd-minute substitute.

With 10 minutes remaining, Boro got their equaliser, Pogatetz meeting a Rochemback free-kick with a sweet header.

And there was better to come when, after the Chelsea defence failed to deal with Downing’s cross, Viduka fired home to snatch victory.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Schwarzer, Davies (Cattermole 61), Riggott, Pogatetz, Taylor, Parnaby, Mendieta (Viduka 72), Boateng, Rochemback, Downing, Yakubu.

CHELSEA: Cudicini, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Bridge, Essien, Makelele (Wright-Phillips 84), Lampard, Shevchenko, Drogba, Kalou.

Referee: H Webb