January 10, (THEWILL) – Chelsea were guilty of squandered chances in their match against Sky Bet Championship outfit Middlesbrough as Hayden Hackney’s 37th-minute strike handed the underdogs a priceless 1-0 first-leg lead in their Carabao Cup semi-final at the Riverside.
Cole Palmer saw a hat-trick of efforts saved or spurned on either side of Hackney’s goal as Michael Carrick’s men frustrated their big-spending English Premier League opponents Chelsea to claim a slender advantage heading into the second leg at Stamford Bridge in a fortnight.
On an evening when 2004 winners Chelsea struggled to find top form, manager Mauricio Pochettino named a star-studded line-up packed with talent, including Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, Enzo Fernandez and Raheem Sterling.
Still, Boro were resolutely organised in defence and carried a threat on the counter-attack as they claimed a first-leg victory just three days on from an agonising late FA Cup defeat by Premier League side Aston Villa.
The Teessiders’ goal arrived on 37 minutes when neat interplay freed Isaiah Jones down the right and his low cross was converted from close range by Hackney. Chelsea’s £105m striker Mykhailo Mudryk was introduced from the bench to no avail. Pochettino’s men now face an uphill task to overturn the deficit on home soil.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
