Chelsea's Messi settles a night of Middlesbrough resistance
Middlesbrough's defiance lasted until the first minute of the second half, when Lionel Messi, the 22-year-old Argentinian left winger, struck low into the net to give Chelsea a 1-0 victory at the Riverside Stadium. The goal, coming after a first half in which the home side had held the league leaders at bay, was enough to extend Chelsea's advantage at the top of the English Premier Division and leave Middlesbrough still searching for their first win over the London club in over three years.
Middlesbrough, who began the evening in 14th place with 17 points from 14 games, knew the scale of the task. Chelsea arrived with 40 points from the same number of matches, unbeaten in their last five in all competitions and having won 37 of the previous 40 meetings between the sides. The home team's recent form had been mixed, with two wins and two defeats in their last four league outings, but they set about their work with a discipline that frustrated Chelsea for long periods.
The visitors dominated possession in the early exchanges, but clear chances were scarce. Middlesbrough's goalkeeper Mayer Tapasco was called upon to make eight saves over the course of the match, two of them tipped over or round the post, and his performance earned him the player of the match award. The home side's rearguard was disrupted after 31 minutes when Maurice Brennan was sent off, forcing a reshuffle that saw Paraschos Manariotis introduced from the bench. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Middlesbrough reached half-time level.
The deadlock was broken within seconds of the restart. Messi, who had been a constant threat down the left, collected the ball and drove a low shot beyond Tapasco. It was the winger's third shot on target of the night, and it proved decisive. Chelsea continued to press, finishing with 16 shots to Middlesbrough's one, but the home side's defence, marshalled by Marc and Walter, held firm to prevent further damage.
Chelsea's victory was achieved despite a change of shape from their usual 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1, with Adrián Santana preferred in goal to the regular Elias Jimenez. The win keeps them firmly on course for the title, while Middlesbrough must regroup ahead of their next fixture. For the home supporters, there was at least the consolation of a performance of resilience, if not of reward.
