Middlesbrough played out a 0-0 first-leg draw against Southampton at the Riverside Stadium in the 2025-26 Championship Play-Off Semi-Finals.
Played amidst the backdrop of a spying controversy in the build-up to the match, Middlesbrough dominated the first half but failed to convert their chances as Tommy Conway went closest with a 34th-minute shot onto the right post.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis saw a header hit the crossbar whilst Samuel Edozie rifled wide late on as Southampton tried to snatch a late win.
Middlesbrough now will head to Southampton on Tuesday 12 May at 8pm BST for the second leg at St Mary’s Stadium.
With Southampton charged by EFL for two breaches of regulations in the wake of an alleged spying incident involving a Southampton analyst at Boro’s training ground – Rockcliffe on Thursday (7 May), tensions were high at the Riverside Stadium at kick-off.
Middlesbrough however quickly relished the tense atmosphere as they asserted early dominance with Riley McGree’s sixth-minute shots deflected, before David Strelec nodded a subsequent corner wide.
Conway saw various shots blocked whilst Adilson Malanda’s 23rd-minute header was blocked, as Boro continued to relentlessly pin the Saints back.
Luke Ayling’s 30th-minute shot flew wide of the left corner as Southampton continued to ride their luck, whilst Matt Targett saw two rebound shots put wide eight minutes apart as Boro constantly unleashed waves of attacks which were heroically dealt with by the Saints’ Daniel Peretz.
Boro though could of taken the lead in the 34th minute on a quick counter-attack which saw McGree play Conway forward, yet the Scotland international frustratingly curled his shot onto the right post unmarked from the edge of the box.
Southampton eventually kept Boro out at half time through Peretz’s heroics as Ayling nodded wide from a corner in the second minute of injury time.
Those first-half blushes fired Tonda Eckert’s Saints up for the second half as Cyle Larin nodded Tom Fellows’ 50th-minute cross wide.
The game subsequently became end-to-end without much quality aside from Southampton substitute, Shea Charles rifling over the bar on the rebound from a 70th-minute free-kick, after Ayling clipped Leo Scienza with a stray right arm to concede the set piece.
Boro almost won a 80th-minute penalty after substitute, Alan Browne collided with Charles inside Southampton’s box, yet referee – Farai Hallam dismissed their penalty appeals.
Harwood-Bellis almost won the leg for Southampton from Ryan Manning’s 84th-minute free-kick, yet his header flew onto the crossbar.
Edozie then dragged a low shot wide of the far-bottom left corner for Southampton on a quick counter-attack, which saw him collect Charles’ tightly-angled short cross from out wide on the right flank towards the edge of the box.
Middlesbrough eventually dug deep to cling on and set up a tense second leg at St Mary’s Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Teams
Middlesbrough: Sol Brynn, Luke Ayling, Dael Fry, Adilson Malanda, Callum Brittain, Aidan Morris, Riley McGree (Browne 68′), Matt Targett, Morgan Whittaker (Sarmiento 79′), Tommy Conway, David Strelec (Castledine 79′)
Substitutes: Alan Browne, Leo Castledine, Alex Gilbert, Sontje Hansen, Harley Hunt, Cruz Ibeh, Jeremy Sarmiento, Sammy Silvera, Joe Wildsmith
Southampton: Daniel Peretz, James Bree, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Nathan Wood, Ryan Manning, Caspar Jander, Flynn Downes (Charles 69′), Tom Fellows (Matsuki 69′), Finn Azaz, Leo Scienza (Edozie 86′), Cyle Larin (Stewart 60′)
Substitutes: Cameron Archer, Cam Bragg, Shea Charles, Samuel Edozie, George Long, Kuryu Matsuki, Joshua Quarshie, Welington, Ross Stewart
Referee – Farai Hallam
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