Middlesbrough 2-0 Cardiff City: Boro keep play-off hopes alive

Middlesbrough kept their play-off hopes alive with a vital 2-0 win over Cardiff City at the Riverside Stadium.

Boro went ahead on 28 minutes with their first effort of note, as Marcus Tavernier found the net from 25 yards with a powerful right-footed effort.

Riley McGree’s deflected shot on 53 minutes sealed a vital victory.

Middlesbrough knew a win was imperative with just two games remaining in their bid to finish sixth in the Championship and overtake Sheffield United in the final play-off position, with no room for slip-ups against a Cardiff side safe of relegation and with little at stake.

Wilder made one change from the Boro side that drew 1-1 at Swansea City on Saturday, with on-loan Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun replacing Josh Coburn in attack.

Bluebirds boss Steve Morison – who has admitted he is already eyeing next season – made two changes from Cardiff’s 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United, with Wales midfielders Rubin Colwill and Will Vaulks replacing the injured Joel Bagan and Joe Ralls.

On paper the incentive to impress was far greater for the hosts, but it was Cardiff who edged the early exchanges.

The Bluebirds switched formation as well as personnel for their visit to the Riverside Stadium as they lined up with an unfamiliar back four and a midfield diamond, and they looked comfortable as they restricted the hosts though they created little of note.

Middlesbrough began to exert more pressure and they found a breakthrough on 28 minutes when Jonny Howson picked out Tavernier, who fired home from 25-yards as Cardiff’s defenders failed to close him down – despite goalkeeper Dillon Phillips getting a hand to the ball.

Cardiff chances were few in the first period, but they did create a good opening in stoppage time when Colwill’s impressive run and pass found Jordan Hugill in the penalty area, but he fired over the crossbar.

The Bluebirds have scored more than 80% of their league goals this season in the second half of games.

But by the time Max Watters forced Boro goalkeeper Luke Daniels to tip his effort over the crossbar, the hosts were 2-0 ahead as McGree’s shot deflected off Curtis Nelson and past Phillips’ despairing dive.

Watters almost atoned for his miss when his cross struck the Boro bar with Daniels beaten, but it was the hosts who then almost added to the scoring when McGree headed wide from Marc Bola’s cross.

Middlesbrough won the reverse fixture 2-0 in October – in a contest that proved the final straw for Bluebirds boss Mick McCarthy, who stepped down following an eighth straight defeat – and they completed a first league double over Cardiff since the 2014-15 season with relatively few scares.

Substitute Mark Harris’ tame header was held by Daniels, but Cardiff could not find a goal as they slipped to a 23rd league defeat of the season – having lost four in a row and five in six – meaning they remain 19th.