Middlesbrough 1-0 Chelsea: Wasteful Blues stunned by Championship side in first leg of Carabao Cup semi-final

Hayden Hackney’s first-half goal has given Middlesbrough a first-leg advantage to take to Chelsea in a fortnight’s time in the Carabao Cup semi-final.

Chelsea dominated possession but could not create much with it, with Cole Palmer’s two first-half gilt-edged chances, themselves the result of Boro errors, the closest they came to scoring.

It was to Michael Carrick’s side’s great credit that they overcame the loss of two key players early in the game with Emmanuel Latte Lath and Alex Bangura both leaving the field in the first 20 minutes.

The goal came eight minutes before the break when Isaiah Jones raced down the right flank, brushing off the attentions of Levi Colwill, and slid a ball across the six-yard box which Hackney met at full speed with a side-foot into the far bottom corner.

The second half saw Chelsea have over 80% of possession and be camped in the Boro half but were mostly resigned to shooting from long distance and the Championship side did not look unduly under pressure.

The teams meet again on January 23 at Stamford Bridge.

He has had tons of plaudits this year and deserved every one, but this match, the first semi-final he has been his side’s key man in, he will want to forget.

Admittedly playing a role as Chelsea’s spearhead, albeit with licence to drop back to collect the ball and play in team-mates, does not suit him as much as the No. 10 role. The cool head which under pressure scored against Luton was nowhere to be seen in the first half at the Riverside when he missed two sitters.

The first saw him exhibit his trademark calm when through on goal to hold the goalkeeper’s position before shooting into the right hand corner, but he was at least a yard wide. Then, while lesser players might complain to have been in a slightly awkward and high position to side-foot home after Tom Glover’s fumble you can’t make those excuses for England’s most talented young forward. Shortly afterwards he carved another chance for himself but could only force a fairly easy save from the Boro stopper.

While Chelsea creating few clear chances through the match is something the team and manager must share blame for, Palmer will feel responsible having spurned three of these. He will surely have many more big games when it matters in the future – and may well do in a fortnight’s time at Stamford Bridge – but tonight was perhaps a reminder the game is not always quite as easy as he makes it look.

It was to Michael Carrick’s credit that he insisted Isaiah play high up the field rather than drift back as is easy to do so when against a Premier League side who are having all the ball. While he did his work defensively, it was attacking where Jones was particularly eye-catching getting the better of Levi Colwill throughout the game.

As well as having the pace to get beyond the Chelsea defence, his composure when in dangerous positions was also impressive, as seen with the goal.

Middlesbrough: Glover 6; Engel 6, Van Den Berg 6, Fry 6; Jones 8*, Howson 6, Barlaser 7, Hackney 7, Bangura 6; Jones 7, Lathe, Crooks 6.

Subs: Coburn 6, Clarke 6.

Chelsea: Petrovic 6; Gusto 6, Disasi 6, Thiago Silva 6, Colwill 6; Caicedo 7, Gallagher 6, Fernandez 6; Madueke 6, Sterling 6; Palmer 6.

Subs: Mudryk 6, Broja 6, Gilchrist.

1′ EARLY CHANCE FOR LATHE! Colwill’s errant header put him through on goal but under pressure from Disasi he couldn’t get a firm shot on target and is now receiving treatment.

31′ PALMER HAD TO HIT THE TARGET! Howson gifted the ball to Palmer 25 yards from goal but after setting himself he shot wide of the target.

37′ GOAL FOR MIDDLESBROUGH! Jones gets in down the right flank and slips a ball through Colwill’s legs into the centre where the onrushing Hackney side-foots home.

45+4′ WHAT A MISS FROM PALMER! Fernandez’s shot was simple for Glover to save but he fumbled the ball and with an open goal Palmer sidefoots on the volley high over the bar.

45+6′ GLOVER DENIES PALMER! He latches on to Caicedo’s through-ball and the former Manchester City man turns on his left foot but his effort is too close to Glover who pushed the shot away.

62′ GOOD TURN FROM GALLAGHER! He takes a low cross from Gusto down well and then turns his man and shoots in one motion but it goes a couple of yards wide.