Dominant Middlesbrough held by Southampton in goalless play-off first-leg draw

[p]The Teessiders started the match in very positive fashion, and came close to taking the lead after just seven minutes played, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/strelec-david/EeiPGlNh/"]David Strelec[/a] headed over the bar from close range following [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/whittaker-morgan/lYeidRqJ/"]Morgan Whittaker[/a]’s excellent corner kick.[/p][p]As the first half progressed, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/southampton/WdKOwxDM/"]Southampton[/a] were repeatedly put under intense pressure, but Boro’s lack of clinical finishing continued to let the Saints off the hook. On the half-hour mark, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ayling-luke/YP7gClsj/"]Luke Ayling[/a] missed the target from a very promising position, while on the very next attack, a vital block from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bree-james/xbdEc7Ag/"]James Bree[/a] prevented [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/conway-tommy/SO0oYOa8/"]Tommy Conway[/a] from edging the hosts in front.[/p][embed guid="13319c9d-b583-4dac-84e1-568bce27e83f" url="https://x.com/Boro/status/2053103117604966808" social-type="twitter" /][p]Remarkably, Conway would go even closer to securing the lead for the Teessiders just three minutes later, after a perfectly-weighted pass by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcgree-riley/nqCW2QeG/"]Riley McGree[/a] set the Scotland international up brilliantly, but his firm effort struck the post to the dismay of Kim Hellberg’s team.[/p][p]At the interval, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/middlesbrough/6F0lvLNC/"]Middlesbrough[/a] will have been wondering how on earth they were not in front, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/daniel-peretz/MVgAbUb4/"]Daniel Peretz[/a] made two important saves to deny Conway and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/targett-matt/I1mjFtoP/"]Matt Targett[/a] in the latter stages of the first half.[/p][image alt="Player ratings" id="f4bc7ad5-052a-42e2-8490-835858882f1b" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="91ad1a60-5604-4eb8-a25a-bafd2a44a834" original-width="1080" original-height="1920" /][p]Half time couldn’t have come soon enough for Tonda Eckert’s men, with the visitors not even recording a single shot in the opening 45 minutes.[/p][p]The opening stages of the second half were a cagier affair, with few notable opportunities created for either side.[/p][p]From Southampton’s perspective, their play had at least improved, with Middlesbrough’s attacking threat nullified and finally a couple of shots of their own to give travelling Saints fans something to cheer.[/p][embed guid="864bca39-3177-4e60-bf33-8d34d4aad474" url="https://x.com/SouthamptonFC/status/2053102985962479719" social-type="twitter" /][p]With full time on the horizon, the Saints almost snatched a dramatic winner on two separate occasions inside the final 10 minutes.[/p][p]Firstly, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/harwood-bellis-taylor/2J6t1Fdl/"]Taylor Harwood-Bellis[/a] saw his header from inside the box crash off the woodwork, before substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/edozie-samuel/EwCgGJ7c/"]Samuel Edozie[/a] dragged an effort narrowly wide of the post to the sheer relief of the Boro supporters.[/p][p]Following the draw, it’s all to play for at St Mary’s in midweek – Middlesbrough are now unbeaten in their last five games, while Southampton have only lost once in their last 24 matches in all competitions.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/targett-matt/I1mjFtoP/"]Matt Targett[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/middlesbrough/6F0lvLNC/"]Middlesbrough[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/middlesbrough-6F0lvLNC/southampton-WdKOwxDM/?mid=06SB4db6"]Click here for all the stats of the match[/a][/b][/p]