Magnificent Middlesbrough hailed as Cup heroes

LONDON, Apr 28 (Reuters) Middlesbrough's four-goal UEFA semi-final comeback victory over Steaua Bucharest was hailed as heroic, stunning, amazing, incredible and miraculous today.

Steve McClaren's side reached their first European final where they will meet Sevilla, after repeating the remarkable turnaround they achieved in the last round against Basel.

They pulled off their second last-gasp triumph on the day McClaren was apparently crossed off the list as potential England manager in favour of Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Middlesbrough were 1-0 down from the first leg in Bucharest and conceded goals from Nicolae Dica and Dorin Goian within the first half hour yesterday.

But a strike from Italian substitute Massimo Maccarone before the break, then Mark Viduka and Chris Riggott gave the English side hope before Maccarone delivered the coup de grace with a header in the 89th minute.

Against Basel, Maccarone had stolen a winner in the 93rd.

''Maccarone magic pulls off mission impossible'' was the headline in the Daily Mirror which said the victory ''defied footballing logic''.

''Joy on the rebound for snubbed McClaren'' said The Times, who pointed out that McClaren, long an assistant to outgoing England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, had in the past been described as dull and uninspiring.

''I didn't think lightning could strike twice but it did tonight...it was an immense night,'' McClaren said.

His chairman said he had given up hope before watching what he described as a magnificent recovery.

''If someone had written this script you wouldn't believe it,'' Steve Gibson said.

The Middlesbrough chairman also expressed his sympathy with McClaren over the preference for Scolari for the England post, a controversial choice.

''I'm disappointed for Steve. I know he wanted the job. I'm an Englishman and I'll reserve my judgement on that appointment,'' said Gibson.

Disappointment for Steaua meant joy for their bitter Bucharest rivals Rapid and Dinamo whose fans celebrated outside their clubs into the early hours today.

The victory means either English or Spanish clubs could pull off a European double this season after Arsenal and Barcelona reached the final of the Champions League.

Middlesbrough, whose only previous major honour, was the League Cup two years ago, become the 10th English club to reach the final of the UEFA Cup or Fairs Cup that preceded it.

No other country has sent so many different clubs to the final.

REUTERS PDS HS1808