It's a Boro-Sevilla finale

Sevilla players are ecstatic after beating Schalke 04 in their UEFA Cup semifinal second leg clash at Seville on Thursday. PHOTO: AFP

Massimo Maccarone hit a last-gasp winner to complete a remarkable and unlikely comeback from three goals behind as Middlesbrough beat Steaua Bucharest 4-2 to reach the UEFA Cup final.

On the day on which he was overlooked for the England manager's job, Steve McClaren had the considerable consolation of another extraordinary European night at the Riverside.

McClaren admitted he was not too sure how Middlesbrough had pulled off another remarkable comeback which gave them a 4-3 aggregate score.

"I haven't got a clue. Character, attitude," he said

"I said lightning couldn't strike twice in the same place and it has done tonight.

"Let's go one step further and win the final."

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Boro had looked out of it as Steaua struck twice in the first 24 minutes to open up a 3-0 lead with two away goals.

Nicolae Dica, scorer of the only goal in the first leg, gathered the rebound after Australia goalkeeper Brad Jones had parried a 25-yard drive from Petre Marin, slipped inside Gareth Southgate and tucked home their opener after 16 minutes.

Chris Riggott then headed a fraction past his own post, and then, as Bostina slung the ball in again, Dorin Goian directed a firm header on target.

Jones saved with an outstretched right-hand but the centre-back followed in for his fifth in the competition this season.

The game sprung to life when Gareth Southgate was subbed off for striker Massimo Maccarone, 3-5-2 became 4-4-2, and suddenly Boro looked a different team

It was Maccarone, who got the winner in the last round, who started the fight-back, finding room on the right and accelerating onto Mark Viduka's pass to pull one back after 33 minutes.

There was not quite the same inevitable force about Middlesbrough this time, though, and although Viduka called the keeper into action again with a low volley, Boro manager McClaren felt the need to add an extra forward in Yakubu Ayegbeni after 55 minutes.

The effect was immediate. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flicked a Maccarone cross just wide, and then, as Steaua struggled to break out of their half, Viduka beat Carlos to a Stewart Downing cross to level the scores on the night.

Two needed, and 25 minutes to play. Fabio Rochemback crashed a 30-yard drive just over, but the third arrived after 73 minutes, Riggott sliding in after Carlos had got a hand to a Stewart Downing shot.

And then, in the 89th minute, a deep cross from Downing from the left, and there was the shining bald head of Maccarone to power a header past Carlos.

Meanwhile, an extra-time goal by substitute Antonio Puerta gave Sevilla a 1-0 win over Schalke of Germany on Thursday and a place in the UEFA Cup final.

The match had gone into the extra 30 minutes after the two sides failed to break the deadlock in either the first or second legs but it was the cool head of Puerta who settled the tie and gave the Spaniards a place in the final against Middlesbrough.

That takes place in Eindhoven on May 10.

Puerta scored with a left-footed drive past keeper Frank Rost from 12 yards out.

Sevilla will be playing in their first ever European final while Schalke had lifted the UEFA Cup in 1997.