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Cristhian Stuani celebrates scoring Middlesbrough’s winner in their 3-2 victory over Oxford United in the FA Cup fifth round.
Cristhian Stuani celebrates scoring Middlesbrough’s winner in their 3-2 victory over Oxford United in the FA Cup fifth round. Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images
Cristhian Stuani celebrates scoring Middlesbrough’s winner in their 3-2 victory over Oxford United in the FA Cup fifth round. Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Middlesbrough’s Cristhian Stuani strikes late to halt Oxford fightback

This article is more than 7 years old

Aitor Karanka’s belief that his relegation-threatened side can afford to take the FA Cup seriously is set to be tested. Not that too many Teessiders will be overly confident about actually winning the trophy after seeing Middlesbrough canter into a two-goal lead only to fold alarmingly and permit Oxford United to draw level.

It took the emergence of the heavy artillery from the bench to prevent an unwanted replay, with Cristhian Stuani’s winner settling a fascinating tie and sending Boro into the quarter-finals.

“I’m very pleased,” said Karanka, who is mindful that, 20 years ago, his club reached both the FA Cup and League Cup finals but were also relegated. “Oxford are a really good team and we have to learn to keep our concentration. Conceding two goals like that was a good lesson for us. We need to always play at 150% but the big thing is we’re in the draw. I want to stay in the Premier League – and I want to win the FA Cup.”

Michael Appleton was left conflicted. “It’s frustration and disappointment,” said Oxford’s manager. “But I’m delighted with our approach in the second half – at half-time I told them to trust the information we were giving them and their belief grew.”

After beating Newcastle United in the last round – and having knocked out eight teams from higher leagues during his two-and-a-half year tenure – Appleton had arrived in confident mood.

Cheered on by more than 3,000 travelling fans, his League One side started very well with Antonio Martínez – on loan from West Ham – swiftly outmuscling Bernardo Espinosa and nearly beating Brad Guzan.

Although Grant Leadbitter dimmed visiting optimism when he gave Boro the lead from the penalty spot following Chris Maguire’s felling of Stewart Downing, Simon Eastwood’s saves kept Oxford in it. Indeed they thought they had equalised when Maguire’s ambitious cross-shot looped into the net only to be disallowed for Kane Hemming’s push on Espinosa.

Reprieved, Boro scored again courtesy of Viktor Fischer’s cross, Adama Traoré’s flick and Rudy Gestede’s fabulously acrobatic bicycle kick.

Refusing to surrender, Oxford rallied and Maguire nonchalantly chipped a free-kick over the wall, watching admiringly as the slightest of deflections ensured it curved into the top corner.

Sixty seconds later Guzan could only parry Maguire’s shot and Martínez directed the rebound home from close range. “I thought there was only going to be one winner then,” said Appleton, who saw Conor McAleny dispatch a late shot narrowly wide. “It wasn’t to be but the Boro fans were magnificent and got their team back in it.”

On came Gastón Ramírez, Álvaro Negredo and Stuani, and when Negredo attempted an ambitious overhead kick from Fábio da Silva’s cross, Stuani flicked out a boot and directed the fallout just inside a post.

“It’s a shame that people don’t recognise how good Cristhian is,” said Karanka. “Once again, in the most difficult moment, he’s scored.”

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