Schwarzer saves best until last to secure Euro return

With the scores level - Boro one foot in the UEFA Cup and main rivals for seventh spot City going gung-ho to earn the victory that would have seen them pip their opponents for the elusive place - no one could have predicted what was going to happen next.

The encounter that brought the curtain down on both clubs' seasons was already an entertaining affair; with Kiki Musampa's second half strike cancelling out Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's extraordinary first half free-kick to put the game on a knife-edge.

But City, knowing three points were essential if they were to send Boro into the Intertoto Cup this summer, threw everything forward, including goalkeeper David James, in a bid to find the all-important winning goal.

In a break from the norm, substitute keeper Nicky Weaver entered the field of play two minutes from time for ex-Sunderland midfielder Claudio Reyna. James pulled on an outfield shirt with the No 1 across the back and ended the game as an emergency centre-forward.

Even that did not look like finding the breakthrough for City but referee Rob Styles handed the home side a lifeline in injury-time when he adjudged Franck Queudrue had handled inside Boro's penalty area and awarded a spot-kick.

With the weight of the whole club on his shoulders at the City of Manchester Stadium, striker Robbie Fowler's spot-kick was expertly saved by goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and Boro were left celebrating and looking forward to a historic second consecutive UEFA Cup push.

The victory also cemented Boro's seventh place finish - meaning they have set a new best Premiership finish for the Riverside club, eclipsing the ninth place achieved during Bryan Robson's days in charge.

History favoured Boro. Not since 1981 had the Teessiders lost in a top-flight fixture at City and it is now 12 games since the Light Blues tasted success.

And, despite switching their home ground last season, the first meeting between the two clubs at Eastlands favoured the visitors when Sun Jihai's own goal proved enough to secure the points for McClaren's men.

That day good defending ensured Boro escaped with the three points and McClaren adopted a similar style of play this time around - asking the negative Doriva to sit alongside George Boateng in midfield and, courageously, England winger Stewart Downing was left on the bench.

But there has been a new Manchester City around in recent weeks. Under Stuart Pearce, taking charge of his first game since being handed the manager's post permanently, they had lost just once in eight matches.

And the desire that became such a hallmark of Pearce's 'Psycho' playing days was clearly reflected in his team's early play as they looked to record the victory that would end 27 years without qualifying for Europe via the league.

Within seconds of the first whistle, left-midfielder Musampa's driven low cross evaded everyone inside the box when a goal would have been on the cards had a City player gambled at the back post.

There was a similar incident minutes later when striker Antoine Sibierski, after breaking behind the defence, saw his cross-cum-shot from a difficult angle on the right skip off the surface and roll to safety.

But if those were just half chances there was a golden opportunity wasted after quarter of an hour by City golden boy Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Wright-Phillips, his small frame constantly teasing the Boro defence, performed a neat one-two with Fowler but the highly-sought after midfielder's chip over Mark Schwarzer bounced just to the wrong side of the upright.

It was a sign of the way the game developed that Schwarzer, probably a tactic employed by the boss, was infuriating the home support by taking as long as possible to take his goal-kicks - a ploy that led to a talking to from referee Styles.

But Schwarzer need not have bothered. Having taken the sting out of the Mancunians' play, Boro's approach worked wonders when Hasselbaink struck his wonder-goal.

After being manhandled to the floor by Fowler 30-yards from goal, the Dutchman powered a right-foot free-kick beyond goalkeeper James, a strike unlikely to have been stopped by two keepers never mind one.

The goal came out of the blue and it needed Boro to remain focused on the task in hand defensively. That was something achieved at the halfway stage, mainly due to players throwing themselves into tackles.

City's wayward shooting benefited the away team and that was summed up when Wright-Phillips, never afraid to attack his man especially after Queudrue was yellow carded, curled a left foot effort a few yards over the bar.

McClaren had insisted there was no room for slip-ups but, with concentration sadly lacking immediately after the restart, it was game on again within a minute.

Musampa, fed the ball by Joey Barton, span away from Stuart Parnaby and charged beyond Ugo Ehiogu before cheekily striking low into the net through Schwarzer's legs.

City's start to the second half was a mirror-image of the first, only this time there was an end product.

McClaren, sensing the result was on the verge of slipping away from him, attempted to halt the heavy pressure going against Boro by replacing a striker for a midfielder - with Downing brought on for the ball-starved Szilard Nemeth.

The change, to a certain degree, had the desired effect as nerves and adrenaline became more of a factor. Chances were taken by City and that, occasionally, opened the door for Boro to push forward but they couldn't find the crucial second goal.

The high tempo reached a new high when Parlour, already on a booking, escaped the red card for a late lunge on Bradley Wright-Phillips. A decision that had a huge bearing on the outcome.

An enthralling encounter became ridiculous when City keeper James pulled on an outfield shirt and the controversial late Fowler penalty was saved by Schwarzer - but Boro held on for the point that secured another European sojourn.

Result: Manchester City 1 Middlesbrough 1.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.