Middlesbrough gifted goal, but still can't capitalize in crucial Championship tilt
With the Championship season winding down, Middlesbrough are closing in on a return to the Premier League for the first time since the 2008/09 campaign.
Aitor Karanka's side sat joint-top of the table with Burnley and Brighton & Hove Albion with 87 points ahead of Friday night's clash at Birmingham City, and their quest for a top-flight resurgence received a slight blow after a plucky, 2-2 draw.
They were hardly made to work for their opening goal, which was all sorts of scrappy.
THIS IS SO BAD IT ALMOST CAN'T BE TRUE. @AdamLegzdins spills easy shot for @Boro to tie. 1-1 at half. #Championship https://t.co/S1zoGvaaDE
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) April 29, 2016
Goodness gracious. That's Birmingham 'keeper Adam Legzdins making a hash of things in front of his goal, gifting Jordan Rhodes a tap-in and an equalizer for Middlesbrough five minutes before the halftime interval.
Twelve minutes into the second half, the visitors thought they had completed the turnaround through Uruguay international Gaston Ramirez until David Davis (what a name!) pulled the Blues level with just over 20 minutes remaining.
Ohhh Noooo!! (if you are a @Boro fan!) David Davis equalizes for @BCFC. 2-2 in a thriller. #Championship https://t.co/lE6h0aFJkv
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) April 29, 2016
Then, controversy struck as Rhodes turned provider for Daniel Ayala, but the linesman on the far side had other ideas.
.@Boro thought they took the lead... and they should have. That wasn't offside. Still 2-2 #Championship https://t.co/5XGgTveS0F
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) April 29, 2016
Any way you look at it, the dubious offisde call may just be the difference between automatic promotion and having to go down the playoff route in the run-in.
