MIDDLESBROUGH 2
Iheanacho 47, Borges 80
OXFORD UNITED 1
Helik 38
Michael Carrick has backed Kelechi Iheanacho to build on his first goal for Middlesbrough and boost their Championship play-off push after he scored in Boro’s victory over Oxford United.
Boro moved level on points with sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion and two points shy of Coventry City in fifth after coming from behind to beat the U’s.
Iheanacho’s strike in the 48th minute cancelled out Michal Helik’s opener seven minutes before the break, before Neto Borges struck in the 80th minute.
That proved enough to earn an important win, turning around a game which had seen Middlesbrough booed off at the end of the first half – while former Leicester City man Iheanacho is up and running, having scored for the first time since moving from Sevilla in January on loan.
Delighted
Boro boss Carrick said: “He is happy.
“We are trying to keep the smile off Neto’s face as much as anything!
“He was delighted too.
“But Kel knows it.
“He has played at a level, and goals make you feel a bit better, naturally.
“I knew he would score, and hopefully he has got more in him, I am sure he has.
“It was a massive goal.”
Positive
Carrick added: “It was a bit sticky first half.
“Credit to them, they started well.
They put us under pressure with long balls, long throws, counter attacks, and we were slow.
“I liked how we responded, and we spoke about being positive.
“There is going to be a hell of a lot more ups and downs before the end of the season.
“We can’t let it affect us.
“We have to stay positive with it.”
Match action
Oxford, buoyed by ending a nine-match winless run in their last outing, deserved to be ahead before the break.
In fact, they could have had more than one, with Przcmyscaw Placheta coming closest, when his first-time effort was turned behind by Mark Travers.
But they got their reward in the 38th minute.
Middlesbrough’s failure to deal with a long Will Vaulks throw into a crowded box ended with Mark Harris’ cushioned lay-off landing perfectly for Helik to hammer low inside Travers’ bottom right corner.
Even then Middlesbrough could have been level before half-time but Iheanacho, who had beaten a couple of defenders, saw his effort hit the bar after he had lifted his finish over Jamie Cumming.
Second half
The disappointment on the Nigerian’s face soon disappeared after the break when he powered in the equaliser.
Iheanacho pounced on Samuel Iling-Junior’s brilliant delivery from the left, missed by Ciaron Brown, and struck first time beyond Cumming.
Suddenly, Iheanacho had a new lease of life.
He played in Morgan Whittaker down the right, where he clipped a cross for Tommy Conway to head goalwards for Cumming to save.
And with ten minutes remaining, Middesbrough grabbed a stylish winner.
Iling-Junior played a clever one-two with Aidan Morris and, with a low cross into the area, Borges was on hand to flick brilliantly beyond Cumming.
Cardiff City
Omer Riza is proud of his Cardiff City troops
Championship
OLIVER’S SET FOR BIG STEP
