Middlesbrough moved into the top half of the Premier League table after claiming a 2-0 win over Manchester City.
Alves and O'Neil on target at Riverside
Middlesbrough moved into the top half of the Premier League table after claiming a 2-0 win over Manchester City at the Riverside.
The opening goal of the game arrived just before the hour when Boro were awarded a penalty for Daniel Sturridge's foul on David Wheater.
Afonso Alves took on the penalty duties after early season misses from Stewart Downing and he made no mistake slotting past Joe Hart.
The result will be a huge relief to Gareth Southgate - who had his keeper Ross Turnbull to thank for maximum points as he pulled off a string of great stops to deny City.
The clincher came deep into stoppage time when Boro broke on City and it was a momentous moment for Gary O'Neil as he fired home his first goal for the club from close range.
Dangerous
Boro had their first chance in the 12th minute when Downing dug out a deep cross from the left and found Alves, who aimed a weak header straight at City Hart.
But it was City who looked dangerous every time they streaked across the halfway line, and in the 18th minute it was Micah Richards who directed a rising shot which Turnbull plucked out of the air.
Boro continued to have their moments in an open game, Alves setting up a chance for Andrew Taylor which was blocked by Tal Ben Haim, and Tuncay Sanli's weak effort gathered by Hart.
Boro came close in the 39th minute when Jeremie Aliadiere's persistence paid off down the right and he flung in a dangerous cross which missed the head of the lurking Alves by inches.
Turnbull was called into action twice in the opening four minutes of the second half, first parrying Ireland's low shot in the box then stretching to deny Wright Phillips's low effort with his feet.
Big penalty
But Boro grabbed the chance to turn the match in their favour in the 53rd minute when Sturridge and Wheater tangled in the far right corner of the City box and referee Lee Mason pointed to the spot.
Alves stepped up to coolly place the ball high to Hart's right and give Boro the lead at precisely the time when City had been threatening to take control.
Inspired by the goal, Boro began to get forward with more purpose and the impressive Tuncay was ruled narrowly offside as he squared towards Aliadiere in front of goal.
Turnbull saved Boro again in the 71st minute when he superbly parried a long-range effort from Vincent Kompany which seemed to be heading into the bottom corner, before Sturridge fluffed the rebound.
Boro held on with relative ease and secured the points deep into injury time when O'Neil broke down the right and crossed for Tuncay, the Turk wasted the chance to score as Hart and Onuoha combind to stop him, but the ball fell for O'Neil, who gleefully rifled the ball into the roof of the net.
| Middlesbrough |
Team Statistics |
Manchester City |
| 2 |
Goals |
0 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
8 |
| 3 |
Shots off Target |
6 |
| 3 |
Blocked Shots |
4 |
| 3 |
Corners |
1 |
| 13 |
Fouls |
14 |
| 6 |
Offsides |
4 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
3 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 74.3 |
Passing Success |
78.5 |
| 16 |
Tackles |
25 |
| 81.2 |
Tackles Success |
72 |
| 41.2 |
Possession |
58.8 |
| 51.6 |
Territorial Advantage |
48.4 |
|
