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Middlesbrough vs Lincoln City LIVE: Early teams from Championship-opener

· Craig Johns · 2026-08-15T11:38:56+00:00 · nguồn gốc

- - Sport - Football - Middlesbrough FC Middlesbrough 2-1 Lincoln City RECAP: Will Lankshear's second half double wins it for Boro Live updates from the Riverside where Kim Hellberg's side get their Championship campaign under way against newly-promoted Lincoln City Middlesbrough Championship promotion bid starts here, with Lincoln City the visitors to the Riverside for this afternoon's league opener. There has been much change on Teesside since that play-off final date in May, and Kim Hellberg's new-look Boro are ready to go again. Boro have brought six new signings to bolster the squad, although head into the new season with talisman Hayden Hackney after his move to Everton. The challenge will be a tough one, with the likes of West Ham, Burnley, Wolves and Southampton all focusing on a top-two place, but Boro's goals are clear. After last week's 1-0 Carabao Cup win over Wrexham, Hellberg could hand a debut to goalkeeper Radek Vitek, while new boys Kyle Joseph, Max Arfsten, Sebastian Berhalter, Myles Peart-Harris and Will Lankshear are all expected to feature. Aidan Morris and David Strelec remain injury doubts. We'll have all the latest from the Riverside right here, with team news, match updates and post-game analysis, ratings and reaction. Key Events Who else!? Lankshear surely wins it for Boro. Brilliant play from McGree. Near the corner flag he beats his man and breaks into the box on the byline, cuts back for Lankshear to finish. Wow! Three minutes added time. Alfie Jones on for Whittaker. Boro lead! Corner falls to Lankshear feet. Effort deflected up off the bar, out to Peart-Harris who, on the turn, slices over. that felt like a last-season moment. McGrandles turns Peart-Harris out wide and crosses. Beyond the back post but headed back in where Olaofe then taps in from close range. Just offside. It's 11 men behind the ball. Every Boro player bar Vitek in the Lincoln half. Trying to find their way through. Ayling's cross, just a little too high for Whittaker who can only head wide. Boro piling the pressure on for the lead. Sarmiento on for Joseph Lincoln also make a change with Hackett on for House. Looks like straight changes. Arfsten left-back. Peart-Harris midfield. McGree at ten. Arfsten, Peart-Harris and McGree on for Borges, Kante and Castledine Boro cross comes out to Castledine. He fires a volley back in towards goal and Lankshear is well-placed to divert it into the net. Boro level. Boro level! Street and Olaofe on for Draper and Jefferies. McGree, Peart-Harris and Sarmiento being readied by Boro. Free-kick from around 30 yards just over. Much better start from Boro to this second half. Says a lot about the first half... Brittain spots the CF making the dart from the channel. Great ball leaves Lankshear running in towards goal. Good effort just as it trickles inside the area but Wickens saves and no one nearby to follow up Just spotted Mogga in the directors' box. His Blackburn side drew 2-2 with Wolves last night, and host Boro next weekend. On a scouting mission, no doubt. Back under way with both sides unchanged. Boro are going to be unchanged. But you suspect there will be some tactical tweaks to try and fix what didn't work first half. A lot for Hellberg to consider at the break. That's been a really, really poor first half from Boro. Started sloppy. Too frantic and rushed and it cost them the early goal. Slowly gained some grip of it, but in general, the decision-making and quality on the ball very poor. Boro behind at the break, and a few boos at the whistle too, summing up frustrations Boro's best move of the half. Work it over to the left. Borges crosses and Joseph flicks it goalwards at the front post. Wickens doesn't know much about it but was positioned well and stood tall to block it. Boro press means they turn the ball over in the Lincoln corner. Whittaker skill gets him past two and breaking into the area. He falls under pressure wanting a penalty but it looks soft at best. Great run down the left from Joseph. Great ball low across the face of goal. Three Boro players arroving. Just beyond Castledine. Past Whittaker who doesn't react, then Lankshear under pressure can only get a slight touch on the stretch which ends up straight at Wickens to pick up. First yellow of the game as Draper kicks the ball away to stop Boro taking a quick free kick Another decent move from Boro again results in Kante crossing. Both Ayling and Joseph challenging each other for the same ball. Means Ayling can't get much on his header as it's tamely wide Foul given so wouldn't have counted but Kante cross find Lankshear but his header well-saved by Wickens. Ref blows for foul as he goes for rebound. There was a tussle with the defender who fell before Lankshear got on the end of the cross. Lankshear rallies the supporters though, who respond in kind to something to be encouraged by we said during the Wrexham game that the counting for time wasting would only work if refs are consistent with it. Fair to say today that Bobby Madley is a little slow in starting his counts when Lincoln have dead ball situations. Boro fans getting frustrated with it already Ayling steps through the lines after a one-two with Whittaker. Looks for a the cross as Joseph looks to run onto it. He falls as he chases in and wants the penalty. Nothing given and didn't ever look like reaching the cross Particularly at the back. When Boro win it, they can't clear their lines. Kante looks edgy anytime he's on the ball. Borges seems to give it away every time he's got it. Really poor. That free-kick was whipped in and found the head of Malanda. He directed straught into Wickens' hands, however. 20 minutes in and Boro have just, for the first time in the game, settled in possession and had a lengthy spell with the ball. Ended up winning a free-kick in the final third. It's been so rushed and sloppy otherwise so far