Hasselbaink won an early penalty for Middlesbrough

Boro went ahead on 12 minutes courtesy of Yakubu's deftly taken penalty after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was fouled by Roma goalkeeper Gianluca Curci.

Roma had lots of possession but laboured to create clear opportunities, their best chance falling to Simone Perrotta just before the Boro goal.

Late on Mark Schwarzer cleverly spooned the ball away from Stefano Okaka Chuka.

That was the only real save Schwarzer had to make during the game, testament to the way Boro maintained their defensive discipline.

Even so Boro had to ride their luck at times, particularly after the interval when Roma pinned the home side in their own half for long periods.

Emanuel Pogatetz twice nervously had to clear, Chris Riggott did well to cut out Perrotta's dangerous cross, while Amantino Mancini went close with a couple of shots.

Gareth Southgate played superbly in the Boro defence, while in midfield George Boateng put in a barnstorming performance.

Just before Boro took the lead, Southgate rescued his side when Phillipe Mexes' superb pass released Perrotta.

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The Roma midfielder managed to get his shot past Mark Schwarzer, but not Southgate, who had diligently tracked back to clear the danger.

Boateng's energetic display was summed up just before the interval when he raced half the length of the pitch to tackle Mancini in a swift Roma counter-attack.

On a sodden pitch Curci had a painful introduction to the game, requiring treatment after he went to ground to reach the ball before Hasselbaink did.

Curci and Hasselbaink were soon to renew their acquaintance, with the 20-year-old Roma goalkeeper once again coming off worst.

Running on to Gaizka Mendieta's pass, Hasselbaink prodded the ball past Curci before going down as the Roma keeper threw himself at the Dutch striker's feet.

Yakubu only added to Curci's misery by waiting for the keeper to dive one way before side-footing his penalty the other way.

Midway through the second-half Hasselbaink almost embarrassed Curci for a second time when the Roma keeper was surprised by a shot from the Dutchman.

Mendieta should have added a second for Boro in the closing stages when he was played in by substitute Mark Viduka, but the Spaniard skied his shot over the bar.

With four minutes to go Viduka was denied by a superb tackle by Mexes, while in stoppage time Schwarzer had to be alert to field an ambitious Mancini shot.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Davies, Riggott, Southgate, Pogatetz, Mendieta, Boateng, Cattermole, Downing (Queudrue 90), Yakubu (Viduka 81), Hasselbaink.
Subs Not Used: Jones, Parlour, Doriva, Maccarone, McMahon.

Booked: Riggott.

Goals: Yakubu 12 pen.

Roma: Curci, Panucci, Kuffour, Mexes, Cufre, Dacourt (Aquilani 84), Kharja, Taddei (Okaka Chuka 61), Amantino, Tommasi (Alvarez 73), Perrotta.
Subs Not Used: Pipolo, Bovo, Chivu, Rosi.

Booked: Perrotta, Mexes.

Att: 25,354.