Artistic Juninho steals show for Boro
Middlesbrough 3 Alaves
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Clearly unaware of the adage, Juninho returned to Middlesbrough for a third time last night to a trademark Teesside downpour, allied to a performance from the club he simply cannot seem do without which will have unexpectedly conjured up images of home. Strange as it may seem when discussing Boro, but, at times, it was just like watching Brazil.
It took the 29-year-old returning hero almost 11 minutes to muster a first touch, but it proved a rather effective one, sweeping home a cross from Geremi, one of a quintet of fellow summer arrivals who on this evidence seem capable of elevating Middlesbrough towards a credible challenge to Newcastle United's role as the North-East's Premiership power.
Indeed, all three of Middlesbrough's goals arrived from players their manager Steve McClaren has been shrewd enough to invest in this summer, but it was the diminutive Brazilian who stole the show with a typically artistic display before leaving to a standing ovation 20 minutes from the end.
Juninho may have been the main reason why 21,445 bedraggled Boro fans braved a foul night, but there were plenty of other reasons for the home faithful to be cheerful, as the hosts paraded almost £20m of new talent.
There was an encouraging home debut for the most expensive of the close season arrivals, the £8m Italian striker Massimo Maccarone, who exhibited a technical mastery of the ball typical of his nation's footballers, along with a clinical eye for goal ably displayed in the 18th minute when he calmly slid home the second goal after latching on to a Jonathan Greening pass.
The experienced midfield heads of Paul Ince and Robbie Mustoe may be no longer on Teesside, but the void left by the old warhorses was easily filled by the new engine room of the Dutchman George Boateng and the Cameroon international Geremi.
Boateng underlined his impressive display by putting the result beyond doubt before the half-hour mark, threading a well-worked third past a horribly-exposed Richard Dutruel after a back-heel from Maccarone. Martin Astudillo thrashed home a reply from close range a minute later as the Spaniards mounted a damage-limitation operation. Jordi Cruyff's late headed goal did nothing to ruin Juninho's night.
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer;, Stockdale, Ehiogu, Boateng, Geremi, Juninho, Greening, Festa, Maccarone, Whelan, Queudrue. Substitutes: Crossley (gk), Gavin, Parnaby, Wilson, Nemeth, Windass, Johnston, Wilkshire.
Alaves: Dutruel; Tellez, Geli, Gomez, Mocelin, Aldo Desio, E Alonso, Astudillo, Llorens, I Alonso, Mestre, Fernandez. Substitutes: Pablo, Begona, Karmona, Cruyff, Helguera, Ujia.
Referee: N Barry (Scunthorpe).
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments