Middlesbrough, the former giants of the Premier League, host 10th-placed Chelsea in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals today. Despite Chelsea's red-hot form before the game, winning three in a row in all competitions and far outpacing Middlesbrough on paper, more than 80 per cent of fans expect Chelsea to win. However, Middlesbrough left Chelsea's path to qualification hanging in the air with a surprise victory.
Middlesbrough sat at home in this game, and Glover led Engel, Hausen, Hackney, Rattle and other giants to start the game. Although they suffered a wave of two consecutive defeats in all competitions before the game, that didn't dampen their fighting spirit. The Chelsea team is led by Petrovic, Gusto, Palmer and other giants.
In the 38th minute of the game, the situation on the field took a turn for the better. Jones' clever pass created a chance for Middlesbrough and Hackney picked up the ball on the right side of the six-yard box and fired home to give the home side the lead. The goal was a punch that disrupted Chelsea's line-up.
Although Chelsea had a clear advantage in possession and shots on goal, with over 15 shots on goal compared to Middlesbrough's less than seven. But in the end, it was Middlesbrough who had the last laugh. The win not only gave Middlesbrough hope of qualifying, but also made Chelsea's path to qualification extremely difficult.
Middlesbrough will face a huge challenge in the upcoming fixtures, but the win has built confidence for them and made the fans look forward to their future.