Boro seal first win
Middlesbrough made a competent, if somewhat nervy, start to the group stage with a win away at Grasshoppers.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was the only goal scorer in Zurich to give Steve McClaren’s side the start they were hoping for in UEFA Cup Group D.
McClaren decided to play two up front — partnering the Dutchman with Mark Viduka — and Hasselbaink handed Boro the early lead. The striker latched on to a pass from Doriva to score from 12 yards out.
Grasshoppers thought they had equalised midway through the half but Boro were relieved to see the assistant referee raise his flag for offside.
Then four minutes before the break, Antonio Dos Santos should have done better when clear in the middle of the penalty area.
Despite that, the visitors remained in the lead until half time. After the break, Grasshoppers again began strongly. Dos Santos went close once more and Ribeiro Eduardo headed over.
Moments later, Middlesbrough wasted a good chance of their own when Szilard Nemeth shot wide from 10 yards out. Hasselbaink was then judged offside after appearing to score. However, his earlier strike proved to be enough.
Bolton Wanderers had to be content with a 1-1 draw away at Besiktas.
Despite conceding an early goal, Sam Allardyce’s side were barely recognisable from the team blown away in the second half by Chelsea at the weekend.
Allardyce made a total of seven changes to the side humbled at Stamford Bridge — only Tal Ben Haim, Abdoulaye Faye, Radhi Jaidi and El-Hadji Diouf survived.
The Turks took the lead inside seven minutes. Their Brazilian striker Ailton unleashed a shot from the edge of the area that was simply too good for keeper Ian Walker.
The result leaves Wanderers second in Group H behind Zenit St Petersburg, who beat Guimaraes 2-1 in Portugal.
The result leaves Wanderers second in Group H behind Zenit St Petersburg, who beat Guimaraes 2-1 in Portugal.