League Cup : Chelsea, beaten at Middlesbrough
Chelsea was caught off guard with a 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough, a team from the English second division, on Tuesday night in the first leg of the English League Cup (EFL Cup) semi-finals.
Despite numerous opportunities, the Londoners failed to respond to Boro’s opening goal in the first half.
Middlesbrough, coached by Michael Carrick, took the lead in the first half, despite having two injured players, with English midfielder Hayden Hackney (37th minute) scoring from a decisive pass by Isaiah Jones. This turned out to be the only goal of the match.
Despite having over 70% possession and more than 15 attempts on goal, the Blues struggled to convert their chances or were thwarted by Tom Glover, Middlesbrough’s goalkeeper.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men, currently 10th in the Premier League and facing difficulties this season, will need to improve if they want to qualify in the second leg at Stamford Bridge on January 23.
Romeo Lavia was absent from the match sheet, still recovering from an injury.
The other semi-final features Liverpool against Fulham, who will face each other on Wednesday night at Anfield.
