The game started slowly but gradually Liverpool got the upper hand and created their first chance after quarter of an hour when Gerado Bruna tried his luck from 25 yards out and saw his shot get deflected past the post.
Brouwer then had a header cleared off the line before getting what turned out to be the winner three minutes later. Brouwer's inital header came back off the crossbar but the Dutchman was first to the rebound and poked the ball home for 1-0.
Daniel Pacheco then hit the post while Stephen Darby had a goal wrongly disallowed for offside before Middlesbrough finally created their first chance three minutes before the break. A 30 yard free kick was comfortably saved by Peter Gulacsi.
Philipp Degen made his comeback from injury in the second half and had a quiet game. Middlesbrough tried to get back in the match in the second half but other than making Gulacsi make a couple of easy saves didn't threaten an equaliser.
It was Liverpool who came closest to a second goal when subsitute Andras Simon was played in by a weak kick from the Boro goalie. Unfortunately his shot was blocked by the keeper but 1-0 was enough.