More misery for Boro

Middlesbrough 0 Blackburn 2

Shefki Kuqi seized on a rare starting opportunity to strike twice and claim Blackburn’s second Riverside victory inside six days.

Having claimed a 1-0 Carling Cup triumph over Middlesbrough last Wednesday, which set up a semi-final meeting with Manchester United, Blackburn were expecting a strong response on their return today.

But Finnish striker Kuqi, given a rare starting appearance while Craig Bellamy nursed a recent hamstring strain on the bench, struck in each half to end Middlesbrough’s unbeaten home run stretching back to September.

Middlesbrough began the game intent on making amends for the disappointment of Wednesday’s defeat, but wasteful finishing in the opening half hour cost them a vital three points.

Having restored Australia striker Mark Viduka – who missed the midweek defeat with a virus – to their line-up, Boro carried an increased attacking threat and should have made the breakthrough in the fifth minute.

Viduka dropped short to collect a short corner on the left-hand side and drifted a cross to the far post where Aiyegbeni Yakubu rose unmarked only to head over.

Gaizka Mendieta should also have scored shortly before the half-hour when he was the beneficiary of a Viduka mis-kick, which found him on the penalty spot but his cross shot flew wide.

Middlesbrough’s failure to exploit their early superiority translated itself to the frustrated 29,881 crowd, who became increasingly agitated at their failure to break down Blackburn’s stubborn rearguard.

Robbie Savage, at his combative best in frustrating Mendieta’s attempts to become the creative force in midfield, went narrowly close to breaking the deadlock with a shot just wide of the right hand corner in the 26th minute.

That should have been warning enough for Middlesbrough, who were unbeaten at home in the Premiership in nine matches, but they failed to quell Blackburn’s growing threat and Kuqi struck the opening blow in the 39th minute.

Recruited on a free transfer from Ipswich to give extra height to Blackburn’s attack during the summer, he has been restricted mainly to substitute appearances so far this season.

But given an opportunity today, Kuqi took his chance by latching onto a near post cross from Brett Emerton before goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer could punch clear.

That opener would have delighted Blackburn manager Mark Hughes, who has earmarked his side’s failure to score the first goal in many of their games as a reason why they had won only one of their previous five Premiership matches.

Expecting a Middlesbrough onslaught after the interval, Blackburn were instead greeted by a scratchy display from the home side with Yakubu and Mendieta continually being caught off-side.

Blackburn’s well-drilled defensive base was undermined by the loss of captain Andy Todd with a suspected hamstring strain just 11 minutes after half-time, but Middlesbrough’s failure to discover any fluency once again cost them as they pushed for an equaliser.

Sensing Boro’s desperation to draw level, Hughes sent on Bellamy with 24 minutes remaining in a determined attempt to use his pace to catch them on the break.

It was a tactic which worked perfectly for Rovers, who surged forward after another Middlesbrough attack with 11 minutes remaining and settled the outcome.

Turkish midfielder Tugay fed Bellamy on the left-hand side and his low shot was only parried by Schwarzer, but Kuqi followed up the rebound and fired home from inside the six-yard box to clinch only Blackburn’s second away Premiership victory of the season.

Kuqi could have crowned a memorable Boxing Day outing by grabbing a hat-trick in the final moments when Bellamy sprung the off-side trap down the right hand side.

Bellamy outwitted the advancing Schwarzer, who had raced out of the box to try to close him down, by clipping the ball inside to Kuqi but he was unable to get a shot away.

It was of little consequence to Blackburn and their followers as they celebrated their first away win since beating Manchester United at Old Trafford back in September.