RUDY EYES A DATE AT WEMBLEY
AITOR KARANKA has set his sights on a double – winning the FA Cup and Premier League survival.
The Boro boss is dreaming of glory after Cristhian Stuani broke the hearts of League One Oxford at the Riverside.
But Karanka’s men needed to hold firm after the visitors pulled off an astonishing second-half comeback, scoring twice in exactly 60 seconds to cancel out goals from Grant Leadbitter and Rudy Gestede.
Stuani’s cruel winner four minutes from time denied Michael Appleton a sell-out replay at the Kassam Stadium.
A relieved Karanka (below with Calum Chambers) said: “I am really pleased. I want to win the Cup and I want to be in the Premier League next season.
“This is another lessonn for us, but three years ago no one would have thoughtht it was possible for Middlesbrough to be in the FA Cup quarterfinals and the Premier League. We have to keep together.”
U’s boss Appleton, who is still hoping to o reach Wembley throughgh the Checkatrade Trophy, phy, admitted his playerss were overawed in the first half. alf.
“I was delighted and I am very proud and tomorrow at some point I will feel more pride but at the moment I am just frustrated,” he said.
Appleton’s side were outplayed for the first 45 minutes and were fortunate not to be more than two goals down at the break. Gestede, Leadbitter, Viktor Fischer and Stewart Downing all wasted chances before Downing was brought down by Chris Maguire in the 26th minute. Leadbitter smashed his right-foot spotkick into the top of the net for his third goal in just nine appearances. Gestede made it two eight minutes later with his first goal for Boro since his £6million switch from Aston Villa. The Benin striker acrobatically put the ball out of Simon Eastwood’s reach after a Fabio cross was cushioned into his path by Adama Traore, via Curtis Nelson’s knee. Oxford stunned the Riverside with two goals in a minute after the break. The first was a delightful free-kick from the edge of the box from Maguire who wrong-footed Brad Guzan with a scooped shot over the American’s wall. Guzan was at fault again when he spilled a low Maguire shot into thet path of Martinez who slipped the ball ho home from close range. Substitute Conor M McAleny nearly grabbed victory for Appleton’s men but shot wide. And w within a minute, Boro n nicked it. App leton was un unhappy with Alvaro Negr Negredo’s part in the winner winner, claiming a foul on Nelson, but the Spaniard’s touch was the perfect cushion and lay-off for Stuani, who hammered the ball home from close range.