Steve McClaren was content with Middlesbrough's draw in Austria last night - but told his defence they will have to become more solid if they are to become a success on the European stage.

Boro took the lead on two separate occasions against Grazer AK but goals from Bolo Zenden and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink were cancelled out by strikes from Mario Bazina and Roland Kollmann.

The home side could have had a few more after some mistakes from the Boro backline but poor finishing and good goalkeeping kept the Austrian champions at bay.

McClaren said: "We should have won it but this is a good result. To be twice ahead and draw is a little disappointing.

"The performance was excellent, although I am disappointed with the way we conceded the two goals. We are going to have defend a whole lot better than we did here if we are going to do well in Europe.

"We had lapses in concentration at the back at times and we can be a lot better. We are going to have to improve if we are going to stay in this competition."

Grazer's second goal arrived courtesy of a super free-kick from top marksman Kollmann. But McClaren believes it should never have been awarded because the player fell too easily to the floor under a challenge from Ray Parlour.

Croatian referee Edo Trivkovic then booked the striker - his second yellow of the evening and was dismissed - when he tried his theatrics again when trying to take on Chris Riggott.

Kollmann will now miss the return leg at the Riverside Stadium next Thursday and McClaren said: "Kollmann is their top-scorer and him being out will be a bonus to us.

"I didn't see the incident but I thought he had given a free-kick to them and that he had fallen for that one as well but he was sent off. There were a few bookings and they were strange.

"The decision to award a free-kick that led to the equaliser was also a ridiculous decision but there were a few on both sides. You get strange refereeing when you play in Europe."

McClaren feels Boro, with two away goals, are in the box seat to progress but he will be warning his players to beware of an upset on home soil.

"It gives us an advantage. We always wanted the away goal but it's funny because Grazer will come to us thinking they only need to win the game to go through. We have a very good record at home but you can't take anything for granted," he said.

"It was a great goal from Bolo to get the game going and he's been great for us, he's so flexible."

l Dinamo Kiev and Villarreal struggled to cope with freezing conditions in the Ukrainian capital as a dour game ended goalless.

Kiev, who had not seen competitive action in two months, produced the game's only real chance with two minutes to go but midfielder Milos Ninkovic saw his shot beaten away by Villarreal goalkeeper Jose Manuel Reina.

The Spanish side, flying high in the Primera Liga but without in-form but cup-tied striker Diego Forlan, struggled to cope with the frozen pitch and failed to trouble the home side's defence.

CSKA Moscow have one foot in the last 16 after a comfortable 2-0 win over Benfica in a match played in the warmer southern Russian town of Krasnodar.

Vassili Berezoutski put the Russian side in front in the 12th minute and Brazilian striker Vagner Love, who had recently declared he would be leaving CSKA because he was fed up with the cold weather, struck in the 61st minute.

A late strike by Brazilian Alvaro Maior de Aquino earned Real Zaragoza a 1-0 victory at Fenerbahce. The Turks included recent signing Nicolas Anelka.

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