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Left winger Stewart Downing stroked home an early penalty and Tuncay added a second after half-time to stun Arsene Wenger's side, who were torn apart at times by former player Jeremie Aliadiere.

Tomas Rosicky's consolation deep into injury-time was far too little, too late from a poor Arsenal performance.

Arsenal were shocked by a determined Boro side that won the penalty kick inside four minutes when Kolo Toure was adjudged to have brought down Aliadiere. It was a 50-50 call that went Boro's way.

Downing stepped up and stroked the spot-kick home for the lead, one which the home fans seemed almost surprised to celebrate.

Frenchman Aliadiere clearly had a point to prove to his former employers while Eduardo, one of England's tormentors at Wembley recently, struggled for space as Jonathan Woodgate and David Wheater blocked and tackled anything that came near Boro's box.

That industry served them well as Arsenal struggled to find their characteristic rhythm to their play. Their best chance in the match - apart from the goal - fell to Emmanuel Adebayor on 35 minutes when an Emmanuel Eboue free-kick found him unmarked, but his header was into the side-netting.

Tuncay found space on the by-line to the right of the goal and should have done better when attempting to pull the ball back for Aliadiere. Manuel Almunia fell upon it to save Boro.

In the second period Fabio Rochemback fed a lovely ball through Arsenal's defence for Tuncay to latch onto and the Turk slipped the ball past Almunia but also just past the far post.

Toure and Gael Clichy went into the book as Arsenal briefly lost their cool while Rochemback responded in kind to pick up a yellow card himself.

Aliadiere was the chief architect of Boro's attacking endeavours and almost bagged another assist when he fed George Boateng, whose first-time dig was close to the bottom corner and beat Almunia all ends up.

Wenger introduced Theo Walcott and Denilson in a bid to instigate some speedy attacks yet it was Gareth Southgate's men again who found the back of the net.

Gary O'Neil's pile-driver was saved brilliantly by Almunia, who has said he wants to play for England when he receives his British citizenship. There was nothing he could do about the rebound which was somehow stuck away by Tuncay from a difficult angle, albeit via a minor deflection off William Gallas.

Nicklas Bendtner had appeared for Eduardo at half-time and barely received any service, with Adebayor's touch dreadful and Walcott the only player who seemed capable of injecting life into the north London club's attacking play.

Five minutes into time added on, with the match effectively won, Rosicky got his name on the scoresheet after Clichy provided the ball to him inside the area.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport