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Middlesbrough beat five-time EFL Cup winners Chelsea with a fierce 1-0 victory in the first leg of their semi-final match.
Hayden Hackney scored the game’s only goal midway through the first half to give Michael Carrick’s men a one-goal lead heading into next week’s second leg at Stamford Bridge.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side had over 70% possession and 18 shots on goal, but they ultimately lacked a cutting edge in the final third, much to the chagrin of the visiting Blues fans.
Middlesbrough made a strong start to the game, but were dealt a major blow within the first 20 minutes when both Emmanuel Latte Lath and Alex Bangura were forced off with injuries.
Chelsea were fortunate not to concede a penalty in the second minute after Axel Disasi made a crunching tackle into the ankle of Latte Lath, whose initial shot rolled wide of the far post due to the lack of VAR in the EFL Cup.
Middlesbrough’s No.9 was withdrawn after failing to continue, and Bangura hobbled off with an apparent hamstring injury after tracking back well to intercept Noni Madueke on Chelsea’s right – Boro’s injury tally now stands at an alarming 14 as a result.
Cole Palmer, playing as a false nine, fired Chelsea’s first shot on target straight down Tom Glover’s throat, before Blues captain Conor Gallagher sent a volley well over the crossbar following a corner.
Just after the half-hour mark, Palmer was presented with a huge chance to open the scoring when Jonny Howson’s misplaced pass put the Chelsea star through on goal, but he dragged his left-footed shot inches wide of the right-hand post.
Middlesbrough vs Chelsea | EFL Cup
Middlesbrough took advantage of the Blues’ missed opportunity five minutes later, when Hackney calmly slotted home a first-time finish from six yards out after pouncing on a low delivery from dynamic winger Isaiah Jones, who caused havoc down the right flank for Levi Colwill.
Chelsea controlled possession in the final stages of the first half in search of an equalizer, and Moises Caicedo fizzed a low-driven shot from outside the area narrowly wide.
Glover then fumbled what should have been a simple catch after Enzo Fernandez’s curling strike, but his blushes were saved when Palmer failed to hit the target with a cushioned first-time volley from inside the six-yard box.
Palmer had one more chance before the halftime break, but as he checked inside onto his preferred left foot and fired a tame shot on goal, Glover made the save before collecting the rebound off Howson.
Fernandez set up Madueke with a perfectly weighted delivery from the edge of the box seven minutes after the break, but the latter was unable to generate any pace on his header, which was comfortably collected by Glover.
Carabao Cup | Round of 16
Middlesbrough looked solid defensively. Aside from Jones’ counter-attack threat down the right, they offered little going forward, and it seemed only a matter of time before Chelsea piled on the pressure heading into the final 30 minutes.
Pochettino brought on substitutes Armando Broja and Mykhaylo Mudryk shortly after Gallagher’s sliding shot narrowly missed the far post in the hope that they could provide the much-needed clinical touch in front of goal – Madueke and Fernandez both made way as a result.
In the seventieth minute, Sterling helped Mudryk. However, all he could do was curl the ball straight at Glover, who cut in from the left and fired a right-footed shot that went high.
Broja, who rarely threatened after coming off the bench for Chelsea, then rolled an inviting delivery across the face of goal that just eluded Sterling, before Dael Fry threw his body in front of Gallagher’s shot.
With a frantic defense in the last ten minutes, Middlesbrough’s focus was essential. They held on for an impressive win, preserving their hopes of playing at Wembley, and they admirably managed to contain Chelsea’s threat.
While Middlesbrough travels to The Den to play Millwall in the Championship, Chelsea will try to get back on track when they host West London rivals Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
