MIDDLESBROUGH'S Brazilian midfielder Doriva remains confident the Teessiders can progress to the last eight of the UEFA Cup, despite needing to overturn a 3-2 deficit in Lisbon this week.

The 32-year-old is aware that Boro are likely to need to beat Sporting by two clear goals at the Estadio Jose de Alvalade, and has even backed himself to score.

The Teessiders looked dead and buried at 3-0 down at the Riverside last week but two late goals gave them a glimmer of hope of progress into the quarter-finals.

Doriva is known more for his defensive skills in the Boro engine room - one goal in two years is testament to that - but he revealed he has a goal-scoring pedigree against Sporting.

Doriva spent several seasons in the Portuguese league playing for Athletic Mineiro and FC Porto before his switch to Teesside two years ago via Celta Vigo.

"I'm very pleased that we're playing against a Portuguese side but we're aware of the difficulties that we'll face," he said.

"Sporting are a big club who are involved in European competition every year, whereas this season is the first time for Boro in Europe.

"It would have been nice to minimise the problems we might face over in Lisbon.

"I've got good memories of playing in Portugal and even though I'm not a prolific goalscorer, I've already scored twice against Sporting when I was playing for FC Porto. It would have been three but Jardel claimed the other one."

Boro had a free weekend due to the FA Cup quarter-finals, but travel to Lisbon knowing their rivals slid to a surprise home defeat against FC Penafiel.

Despite being underdogs Doriva is confident Boro will return home victorious.

He said: "We have spoken about the Sporting game in detail. We've had a couple of poor results in the league and the first leg was also disappointing, but in the league games building up to the first leg we could have beaten Charlton.

"On Thursday the motivation will be totally different because it's a European game, we have to be on top form."

Thursday's game is likely to come too early for George Boateng and Mark Viduka. Boateng he is two weeks away from full fitness, while Viduka has not fully recovered from a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, QPR have secured Middlesbrough defender Andrew Davies' services on loan for the rest of the season.

The 20-year-old spent a successful month-long spell at Loftus Road this season and looked as if he was on the verge of a permanent move last month - for a fee believed to be in the region of £1m.

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