Middlesbrough won a major trophy for the first time in their history on Sunday when they beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 in the League Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Boro, who now qualify for the Uefa Cup, stung Bolton with two goals within seven minutes of the kick-off.
Cameroon striker Joseph-Desire Job tapped in Bolo Zenden’s cross three minutes in before man-of-the-match Zenden scored a dubious penalty after Job was felled four minutes later.
Kevin Davies pulled one back for Bolton on 21 minutes when Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer’s dreadful misjudgement deflected a tame shot into his own net.
The victory means Steve McClaren becomes the first English-born manager to lift a domestic honour since Brian Little’s Aston Villa won the League Cup eight years ago.
Boro capitalised on a weak Bolton header out of defence to stun Bolton moments into the match. Dutchman Zenden burst into the penalty box on the left and squared the ball for Job, running towards the far post. The Cameroon forward slid in to give the north-east side an early lead.
And just four minutes later, the same combination made it 2-0 after a debatable penalty decision.
Job received the ball from on-loan Chelsea winger Zenden on the edge of the penalty box and had the slightest tangle of legs with defender Emerson Thome as he turned.
Referee Mike Riley did not hesitate in awarding the spot-kick but that did not prevent the Bolton players surrounding him to protest.
Zenden hammered the penalty straight down the middle and though Finland stopper Jussi Jaaskelainen got a foot to it as he dived leftwards, he could not prevent Boro doubling their advantage.
Just moments after Job’s opener, Youri Djorkaeff almost equalised with a rising shot that Schwarzer just managed to tip over.
However, the Australia goalkeeper gifted Bolton a lifeline on 21 minutes with a woeful error.
After turning Franck Queudrue, Davies hit a hopeful shot from a wide angle that bobbled tamely towards Schwarzer’s near post. The save looked routine but the ball somehow deflected off the goalkeeper’s arm and into the net.
The goal charged up both teams but the atmosphere spilled over two minutes later when Job and Wanderers’ Per Frandsen were both booked for a scuffle following a free kick awarded to Bolton.
Schwarzer soon redeemed himself with a clutch of fine saves.
Frandsen hit the post five minutes after the fracas with a curling shot beyond the Australian’s dive. Djorkaeff was first to the rebound and shot towards goal, but Schwarzer sprung back the way he came to prevent an equaliser.
Spanish midfielder Gaizka Mendieta had an excellent chance to win the match for Boro just four minutes after the interval when Job played him clean through on goal.
However, with Zenden in place to tap in at the far post, Mendieta chipped his finish just over the bar.
Despite Nigeria’s African Nations Cup player of the tournament Jay-Jay Okocha and ex-Real Madrid player Ivan Campo directing operations in midfield, Bolton struggled to find any similarly easy opportunities.
Kevin Nolan, however, should have done better with a header on the hour mark that went straight to Schwarzer.
Former Bolton striker Michael Ricketts was booed when he replaced goalscorer Job with 25 minutes to go.
But the once-capped England striker sent 2002 World Cup winner Juninho through with another great opportunity for Boro to seal the victory.
The Brazilian overhit his effort, but despite even Jaaskelainen joining the attack in the dying minutes and a possible penalty decision against Ugo Ehiogu, Middlesbrough hung on to complete the greatest day in their history. — Sapa-AFP