Middlesbro - 0 Stuttgart - 1: Considering the prize on offer, a potential trip to the Olympic Stadium to meet Roma in the last 16, Middlesbrough delivered a performance almost devoid of European ambition last night. But it worked, just about, Boro going through to the same stage they reached last season on away goals. It is a strange kind of glory.
Boro's caution under Steve McClaren is long-established but the restraint the Teessiders showed last night was notable even by their standards.
They had no shots in the first half, two in the second. Two natural holding midfielders were at the core of the five stretched across the middle of the Riverside pitch, plus a full back, Stuart Parnaby, on the right.
Christian Tiffert provided the early goal levelling the tie on aggregate, while Daniel Ljuboja worried the massed ranks of the Boro rear every time he received possession, which was often. But Mark Schwarzer had a better game than of late and it was just as well.
Goals from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Parnaby in Germany had seemingly set up Middlesbrough for a safe passage into the last 16, but Ljuboja's 86th minute strike in the first leg contained more than consolation for Stuttgart. Not only was this the first goal Boro had conceded in the competition this season it showed Stuttgart they could score against last night's hosts.
As an attacking presence Boro were yet to be seen, while a couple of sloppy defensive touches from Stewart Downing and Chris Riggott soon had the frozen locals indignant with quickly remembered annoyance at their team.
It was to be displayed loudly on 13 minutes when Stuttgart made it 1-0 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate. Defensive uncertainty, the unforeseen failing of Boro this season, was again evident when the men in white started another forward probe.
Eventually the ball came to Tiffert and with a touch that appeared part-accidental he was suddenly away from Parnaby and bearing down on Schwarzer in the Boro area. A swift flourish of his right foot and Tiffert sent the ball into the bottom corner.
In the 63rd minute Boro finally staged a counter-attack worthy of the description. Downing, harangued by the crowd, started it, Hasselbaink took it on and Gaizka Mendieta almost finished it with a goal. Blocking Mendieta on the line was a familiar leg, that belonging to Markus Babbel.
MIDDLESBROUGH Schwarzer, Davies, Riggott, Southgate, Queudrue, Parnaby, Cattermole, Mendieta (Ehiogu 86), Boateng, Downing (Taylor 90), Hasselbaink (Yakubu 86). Subs Not Used: Jones, Maccarone, McMahon, Viduka. Booked: Boateng, Mendieta, Cattermole.
VFB STUTTGART: Hildebrand, Hinkel, Babbel, Delpierre, Magnin (Hitzlsperger 80), Soldo, Tiffert, Meissner (Cacau 75), Gentner, Gronkjaer (Gomez 64), Ljuboja. Subs Not Used: Heinen, Gerber, Carevic, Beck. Booked: Tiffert. Goals: Tiffert 13.
Referee: Eric Braamhaar (Holland)
