Cristhian Stuani came off the bench to deny Sky Bet League One Oxford a place in the draw for the FA Cup quarter-finals as Premier League Middlesbrough survived a major scare to triumph 3-2 at the Riverside Stadium.
Aitor Karanka's men looked to be heading for the Kassam Stadium for a replay after squandering a 2-0 lead inside a single madcap second-half minute, but Uruguay international Stuani came to the rescue with an 86th-minute winner to secure a place in the last eight for the first time since 2009.
Grant Leadbitter's penalty and January signing Rudy Gestede's first goal for the club had given Boro a commanding half-time lead, but Chris Maguire's superb free-kick and Antonio Martinez's equaliser just seconds later left the result in the melting pot.
Middlesbrough 3-2 Oxford United
