Schwarzer Boro's Penalty Hero
Qantas Socceroo goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has earned Middlesbrough a place in next seasons UEFA Cup, with an injury time penalty save to deny Robbie Fowler and Manchester City.
It was the second game in a row that Middlesbrough has played, where a place in Europe awaited the winner, but the point Boro got from the 1-1 draw was enough to leave them in seventh place. A City win would have catapulted them above Boro.
Schwarzer (pictured above right saving the penalty) capitalised on Fowler-s nervous spot kick, to dive to his left and save and be the Middlesbrough hero, in a game they probably deserved to lose after being totally outplayed by City.
City had Boro on the back foot for the entire game, but couldn-t convert their chances. The penalty came after a handball in the area and it basically came down to Fowler and Schwarzer, with the Aussie keeper parrying the ball and gathering the rebound. A minute later, the final whistle went and Schwarzer was mobbed by his teammates.
Elsewhere in the Premiership, Tim Cahill scored for the 12th time this season, but after being taken off, Bolton Wanderers scored twice and Everton lost 3-2.
Cahill-s overhead kick goal in the 9th minute had Everton on course to erase the memories of the shocking 7-0 defeat at Arsenal of three days prior. The Aussie midfielder was in everything and causing Bolton all sorts of problems, despite copping a knock and being forced off on the hour mark.
Bolton was quick to pounce on his absence to score two goals in eight minutes that left them in sixth place, while Everton remained in fourth.
It was a good day for our strikers in Europe, with Confederation Cup hopefuls Jason Culina, Archie Thompson, John Aloisi and Paul Agostino plus Qantas Under 23 Brett Holman all getting on the scoresheet for their respective sides. Agostino-s winner proved highly crucial as it kept 1860 just one point behind 3rd place Eintracht Frankfurt in the battle for the last promotion place to the German Bundesliga.
Meanwhile in more promotion and relegation battles, Joel Porter-s Hartlepool is in the box seat in its play-off semi final against Tranmere, winning the home leg 2-0. Porter made his comeback from injury, coming on in the second half.
Predrag Bojic-s Northampton will go into the second leg of its semi final play-off having to win away from home after being held 0-0 by Southend.
Jon Brady-s Stevenage missed the chance for promotion to the Football League after being beaten 1-0 in the Conference Promotion final.
Parma, with Socceroos Marco Bresciano and Vince Grella both playing full games, lost 2-0 at Juventus, to be only two points above the relegation zone, although still in 15th place. They play a vital game against Siena next week, who are one place below them on the table.
FC Basel clinched its third Swiss title in four years, after a 3-1 win over St Gallen. Qantas Socceroo Scott Chipperfield played and set up the decisive goal, with Basel now ten points clear of FC Thun with two games remaining.