Match ends, Middlesbrough 0, Birmingham City 1.
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough0BirminghamBirmingham City1
Birmingham City won for the first time in seven Championship matches to dent Middlesbrough's play-off ambitions.
Scott Hogan's first-half goal was enough to secure all three points at the Riverside Stadium, with the striker finishing off a slick team move by tapping in Maxime Colin's low cross.
Boro almost equalised before half-time when Sam Morsy's header bounced down off the crossbar and on to the goalline before Blues keeper Neil Etheridge smothered the ball.
Duncan Watmore had the best chance to level the game in an improved second-half showing by the hosts, but saw his close-range half-volley saved by Etheridge.
Victory on Teesside lifted Aitor Karanka's side seven points clear of the relegation zone.
Returning Karanka frustrates former club
Former Real Madrid defender Karanka spent more than three years in charge of Boro - leading the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2015-16 - and denied his former employers the chance to move into the top six.
Birmingham were rewarded for their positive start when Hogan rounded off a move which included a brilliant backheel by winger Ivan Sanchez to set an overlapping Colin free inside the box.
The Teessiders may complain that the Spanish winger should have not been on the field, as Sanchez had appeared to kick out at Paddy McNair in an off-the-ball clash with the Boro centre-back.
After the visitors survived a scare from Morsy's header, which also missed the outstretched arm of Birmingham midfielder Jon Toral on the line, Etheridge was called into action at the end of the first half to tip over a free-kick from Marcus Tavernier, while Chuba Akpom saw a header deflected over the Blues bar.
Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock made a triple substitution at the break, and the changes almost had an instant impact as Britt Assombalonga side-footed wide in the first minute of the second half.
Boro had won their past four at the Riverside and continued to press in the second half, but the Birmingham defence held firm to inflict just their second home defeat of the Championship campaign.
The Blues, meanwhile, have now picked up 18 of their 26 points this season away from St Andrew's.
Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock told BBC Tees:
"We knew it would be physical and we didn't compete. We got bullied.
"They should have had a sending off, which would have changed everything. The lad lashed out and not one of the four officials could see it.
"Then the guy who should have been off [Sanchez] makes the goal and it's a double whammy.
"I don't think we would have scored if we had been playing until Sunday. We were better second half but the first half was as bad as I've seen."
Birmingham boss Aitor Karanka:
"I am very pleased with this performance. I hope this is a real sign of the future.
"We played well today for 45 minutes and then had to defend. We knew we had to defend really well against a good team, and we did.
"It's a nice feeling to have because the biggest challenge here has been changing the atmosphere.
"I thought I'd fixed it earlier in the season but it's been the same situation. It will be really important for sure."
Line-ups
Middlesbrough
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Bettinelli
- 2DijksteelBooked at 82mins
- 6Fry
- 17McNair
- 27Bola
- 8WingSubstituted forSpenceat 45'minutes
- 5MorsySubstituted forHowsonat 45'minutes
- 22Saville
- 7TavernierSubstituted forCoulsonat 76'minutes
- 10AkpomSubstituted forAssombalongaat 45'minutes
- 3JohnsonSubstituted forWatmoreat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Assombalonga
- 15Wood
- 16Howson
- 18Watmore
- 19Roberts
- 26Archer
- 29Spence
- 33Coulson
- 34Hackney
Birmingham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 30Etheridge
- 2Colin
- 19San José
- 12Dean
- 5Friend
- 6Kieftenbeld
- 34SunjicBooked at 71mins
- 17Sánchez
- 23ToralBooked at 15minsSubstituted forRobertsat 62'minutes
- 11BelaSubstituted forClaytonat 90'minutes
- 9HoganSubstituted forJutkiewiczat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Prieto
- 3Pedersen
- 4Roberts
- 8Clayton
- 10Jutkiewicz
- 14Leko
- 15Clarke-Salter
- 25Dacres-Cogley
- 35Halilovic
- Referee:
- Darren England
Match Stats
Home TeamMiddlesbroughAway TeamBirmingham
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away2
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away16
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 0, Birmingham City 1.
Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Adam Clayton replaces Jérémie Bela.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jérémie Bela (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lukas Jutkiewicz.
Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Mikel San José.
Post update
Foul by Marc Roberts (Birmingham City).
Post update
Britt Assombalonga (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Attempt missed. Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jérémie Bela with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Jonny Howson.
Booking
Anfernee Dijksteel (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Jérémie Bela (Birmingham City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Anfernee Dijksteel (Middlesbrough).
Post update
Foul by Maxime Colin (Birmingham City).
Post update
Hayden Coulson (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Dael Fry (Middlesbrough).
Post update
Offside, Birmingham City. George Friend tries a through ball, but Lukas Jutkiewicz is caught offside.
Post update
Foul by Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City).
Post update
Patrick McNair (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Middlesbrough. Hayden Coulson replaces Marcus Tavernier.
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