Uefa Cup / AZ Alkmaar 0 - 0 Middlesbrough: Middlesbrough grabbed the point they needed to ensure their place in the knockout stages of this season's Uefa Cup with a goalless draw against previously free-scoring AZ Alkmaar in Holland.
A superb defensive display from Chris Riggott and the heroics of goalkeeper Brad Jones, who made magnificent saves from Kenneth Perez, Shota Arvaladze and substitute Danny Koevermans, laid the foundation for a well-earned draw which ensures the Teessiders will resume European action in February. Victory over Bulgarians Litex Lovech next month could see Boro top the group and earn an easier route through the latter stages of the competition.
Boro were allocated only 407 tickets for the game, which kicked off in wintry conditions, and the travelling fans huddled together behind Jones' goal during the first-half must have feared the worst as the opening skirmishes unfolded.
Tarik Sektioui and Danish striker Perez proved regular threats and Boro were fortunate that Italian referee Gianluca Paparesta gave them the benefit of a generous offside shout in the 13th minute.
Australian goalkeeper Jones, deputising for injured compatriot Mark Schwarzer, would argue he deserved a slice of luck after making a superb double save to deny first Perez and then former Rangers frontman Arvaladze in the build-up to Sektioui's strike, and he rescued the visitors once again 10 minutes later with an even better stop from the Dane.
In the meantime, opposite number Henk Timmer had made the most of Nemeth's hesitation to deny him a strike at goal after Hasselbaink, on his first return to his former club, had played him in, and the Dutchman also got a touch on Viduka's low 26th-minute drive as the visitors created chances of their own.
Boro's front two were proving a real handful, but had it not been for the efforts of Riggott and Ugo Ehiogu at the other end, Jones might have been even busier.
Chances came and went at both ends but perhaps the best fell to Barry van Galen on 81 minafter a weak punch by Jones. But Ehiogu got in a superb block to keep him out, and the goalkeeper redeemed himself with an excellent save from Koevermans with six minutes remaining.
AZ ALKMAAR: Timmer, Jaliens, Mathijsen, De Cler, Landzaat, Arveladze (Koevermans 77), Van Galen, Perez, Sektioui (Meerdink 61), Steinsson, Schaars. Subs not used: Buskermolen, Huysegems, Vlaar, Zwarthoed, Ramzi. Booked: Schaars, Steinsson.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Jones, Bates, Ehiogu, Riggott, Pogatetz, Morrison (Parnaby 64), Doriva, Boateng, Nemeth (Queudrue 75), Hasselbaink, Viduka (Yakubu 64). Subs not used: Knight, Southgate, Maccarone, Johnson. Booked: Hasselbaink, Pogatetz, Boateng.
Referee: G Paparesta (Italy)
