Match ends, Middlesbrough 0, Cardiff City 1.
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough0CardiffCardiff City1
Joe Ralls' penalty earned second-placed Cardiff City a narrow victory over Middlesbrough at The Riverside.
Adama Traore brought Nathaniel Mendez-Laing down in the box six minutes after coming on as a substitute.
Traore was returning to the squad after missing Boro's game with Barnsley because he arrived late for the team bus.
Boro, 11th in the table, have now gone six games without keeping a clean sheet.
Cardiff's Danny Ward was inches away from sliding the ball in from Joe Bennett's early cross, while Britt Assombalonga shot wide from distance for Boro.
Defender Fabio provided attacking impetus for the hosts, but his sorties came to nothing against his former club in a goalless opening period.
A poor Sol Bamba back pass put Cardiff under pressure, although goalkeeper Neil Etheridge salvaged the situation.
Bamba was denied as he tried to turn in a shot, before he headed away Stewart Downing's shot at the other end.
Ward whizzed a shot past a post, but Traore's foul allowed Ralls to send goalkeeper Darren Randolph the wrong way.
Middlesbrough manager Garry Monk:
"It's clearly a frustrating period. We knew going into the game it wasn't going to be one with a lot of chances because of the way Cardiff set up, so we knew we were going to have to show patience.
"We were in the ascendency and if anyone was going to win, it looked like us, so it was a really harsh result. But that's the period we're in.
"We understand the fans' frustration, but what's very clear is that we stick together. It's easy to lose focus on what the players have done really well, even today there were a lot of good things."
Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock said:
"I thought we were super today. We looked like we knew what we were doing and I thought we created some good chances.
"All credit to Wardy (Danny Ward), I thought he did absolutely great for us. I didn't see Joe Ralls take the penalty - I never look.
"I just looked at their fans because if they jumped up cheering I know he will have missed it. I just can't stand looking at penalties."
Line-ups
Middlesbrough
Formation 4-3-1-2
- 25Randolph
- 22Christie
- 4Ayala
- 6GibsonBooked at 20mins
- 2da Silva
- 19DowningSubstituted forTraoréat 78'minutes
- 16Howson
- 7LeadbitterBooked at 66mins
- 10Braithwaite
- 9Assombalonga
- 18FletcherSubstituted forBamfordat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Konstantopoulos
- 3Friend
- 8Clayton
- 11Bamford
- 20Fry
- 21Johnson
- 37Traoré
Cardiff
Formation 3-4-3
- 25Etheridge
- 5Ecuele Manga
- 4Morrison
- 14BambaBooked at 59mins
- 2Peltier
- 21Bryson
- 8Ralls
- 3BennettBooked at 39mins
- 19Mendez-LaingSubstituted forPatersonat 89'minutes
- 9WardSubstituted forBogleat 90'minutes
- 33Hoilett
Substitutes
- 7Tomlin
- 12Feeney
- 15Halford
- 18Paterson
- 20Damour
- 28Murphy
- 30Bogle
- Referee:
- Andy Madley
- Attendance:
- 24,806
Match Stats
Home TeamMiddlesbroughAway TeamCardiff
- Possession
- Home59%
- Away41%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away3
- Corners
- Home8
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home19
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Middlesbrough 0, Cardiff City 1.
Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Neil Etheridge.
Post update
Offside, Cardiff City. Craig Bryson tries a through ball, but David Junior Hoilett is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Cardiff City. Omar Bogle replaces Danny Ward.
Substitution
Substitution, Cardiff City. Callum Paterson replaces Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.
Post update
Attempt missed. Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Adama Traoré with a cross.
Post update
Attempt missed. David Junior Hoilett (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing with a cross.
Post update
Attempt saved. Martin Braithwaite (Middlesbrough) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Jonny Howson.
Goal!
Goal! Middlesbrough 0, Cardiff City 1. Joe Ralls (Cardiff City) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the top right corner.
Post update
Penalty conceded by Adama Traoré (Middlesbrough) after a foul in the penalty area.
Post update
Penalty Cardiff City. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing draws a foul in the penalty area.
Post update
Attempt missed. Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Fabio with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Daniel Ayala.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Sol Bamba (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Middlesbrough. Adama Traoré replaces Stewart Downing.
Post update
Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Sol Bamba.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Britt Assombalonga.
Post update
Foul by Grant Leadbitter (Middlesbrough).
Post update
Craig Bryson (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
