A Brace From Akpom Enough To Earn A Point For Middlesbrough Against Sheffield United

Chris Wilder’s Middlesbrough played host to Paul Heckingbottom’s Sheffield United on a beautiful Sunday afternoon on Teesside.

It didn’t take long for Sheffield United to silence the 25 thousand

Middlesbrough fans, when in the third minute, Sander Berge powered a low shot from just inside the area which beat Boro ‘keeper Zack Steffen. 

But Middlesbrough replied quickly and only ten minutes later, they were level again. Lovely link-up play down the right from Dijksteel and McNair played Isaiah Jones through on goal who put a perfect ball across the box which Chuba Akpom couldn’t miss. 

The teams went into the changing rooms at half time with the scores at one a piece.

Middlesbrough had found their feet after their equaliser, but it was Sheffield United who broke the deadlock in the 68th minute when Boro wing back Ryan Giles tried to clear a cross from Iliman Ndiaye, but ended up slicing the ball into his own net, despite being under no pressure from the Sheffield United players. 

Middlesbrough weren’t going down without a fight, and in the 82nd minute, a cross from Ryan Giles was nodded towards goal by Darragh Lenihan and Chuba Akpom was there to head it into the back of the net to earn Boro their second point of the season.

The point for Middlesbrough sees them climb one place to 19th, whereas Sheffield United fall to 9th.

Both sides play again on Wednesday night, with Sheffield United playing hosts to newly promoted Sunderland, whilst Middlesbrough travel to Stoke City, hoping to get their first win of the season. 

Middlesbrough lineup (3-5-2): Steffen, Dijksteel (Watmore 72’), Lenihan, Fry (Bola 46’), Jones, NcNair, Howson, McGree, Giles, Forss (Mowatt 61’), Akpom (Hoppe 90+7’)

Sheffield United lineup (3-5-2): Foderingham, Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Norrington-Davies, Baldock, Berge, Fleck, Norwood, Lowe, Sharp (Brewster 46’), Ndiaye (McBurnie 81’)