Viduka Double In Big Boro Win

Socceroos striker Mark Viduka has hit form just at the right time, with a second half double as Middlesbrough won 3-0 at the Riverside Stadium against Dnipro.

Socceroos striker Mark Viduka has hit form just at the right time, with a second half double as Middlesbrough won 3-0 at the Riverside Stadium against Dnipro.

Meanwhile in Belgrade, Scott Chipperfield played a full game, as FC Basel recorded a valuable 2-1 away win over Red Star Belgrade.

After a slow first half, where he looked out of sorts, Viduka made his presence felt early in the second half with two goals that blew the score out to 3-0 and sent Boro top of the Group D table and almost certain qualification to the next round.

Aiyegbeni Yakubu's scored his seventh goal of the season to give Boro a first half lead in the 36th minute, after an even contest till then. The Nigerian combined with Mendieta with a slick one-two and blasted home his shot.

Viduka then proceeded to show the Boro faithful and his manager just what he can do, when on song, five minutes after the break to double the home side-s lead. He capitalized on an excellent advantage played by the referee, to find himself with time and space and promptly lashed his shot past the badly exposed Dnipro keeper.

Six minutes later, Viduka was on hand to place home the ball into an empty net, after the keeper failed to hold a James Morrison shot.

He should have had a hat-trick shortly before coming off, but his effort hit the post, while up the other end, Socceroos keeper Mark Schwarzer was called into action for the first time with a 58th-minute free-kick.

In other news, Uruguay-s leading striker Diego Forlan may be in doubt for the play-off against Australia after sustaining a shin injury in Wednesday-s Champions League clash for Villarreal against Benfica.