FootyChatter.com

Football

Middlesbrough

vs Derby County. Sky Bet Championship.

3: 00pm, Saturday 1st March 2025.

Riverside Stadium Attendance: Attendance25, 839.

Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Middlesbrough and Derby County at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday; Finn Azaz scores the only goal of the game to send the Rams bottom of the Championship Saturday 1 March 2025 18: 31, UK Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Derby sunk to the bottom of the Championship after a 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough extended their winless to run 12 league games. The Rams looked set to battle to what would have been a crucial point at the Riverside Stadium but Finn Azaz struck the winner for Boro 10 minutes from time. John Eustace has lost his first three games since taking charge and Derby are now four points adrift of Championship safety. Azaz's 10th goal of the campaign ensured Boro closed the gap to the play-off places to just two points after securing back-to-back victories for just the third time this season. Despite their recent struggles, it was the visitors who were first to threaten when captain Ebou Adams' curling strike from distance was well kept out by Mark Travers. Derby were happy to let Boro have the ball and the hosts came closest to a breakthrough when Marcus Forss' low drive was well saved by Jacob Widell Zetterstrom. The forward got a second bite at it when the ball landed back at his feet but was this time denied by Sondre Langas, who made a good defensive block. Just moments later, ex-Derby forward Morgan Whittaker curled just wide from the edge of the box as Boro continued to dominate possession but struggled to create clear-cut openings.

Download the Sky Sports app

Live EFL 2024/25 fixtures on Sky Sports+

Get more EFL to your phone with Whats App

Watch EFL on Sky with NOW

A teasing Azaz delivery from the left was headed over his own crossbar by Craig Forsyth and Whittaker had another go from outside the box five minutes before half-time but was again off target. Derby then conceded possession inside their own half and Aidan Morris worked it to Forss on the right but the forward's shot was deflected behind. Dael Fry headed over from the resulting corner. Azaz very nearly broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time when his left-footed effort from the edge of the box hit the outside of Zetterstrom's right post. Derby were brighter at the start of the second half and Fry came to Anfernee Dijksteel's rescue when the right-back made a mess of an attempted header back to goalkeeper Mark Travers. With George Edmundson and Rav van den Berg already out injured, Boro suffered more defensive injury woe when Luke Ayling was forced off on the hour mark. Ryan Giles was brought on and left-back Neto Borges had to move across to play at centre-half. Boro looked to be running out of ideas but forced the breakthrough 10 minutes from time. Morris pounced on some uncertainty in the Derby defence and crossed for Tommy Conway. The striker's shot was blocked but Azaz was on hand to fire home the rebound. Middlesbrough's Michael Carrick: "It's a good feeling when you do it like that. It's probably the type of game we haven't capitalised on enough during the season. "I'm delighted we found a way. I thought we played well in the first half and created some good chances and played some good football. The second half was a bit sticky but we kept going and it was a big goal for us. "I thought we deserved to win the game but you still have to find a way. "We knew there was always going to be ups and downs to come. Hopefully there are a lot more ups to come now. "We're right in there, we have a fighting chance and we look forward to the run-in. " Derby's John Eustace: "I'm really disappointed to lose the game. In the second half we weren't troubled at all and I felt we'd go on and win the game if I'm being honest, especially in the last 10 minutes. "So to concede in the way we did was really frustrating and disappointing. I sensed after an hour we could get something. I was very pleased with the structure, the way the team were defensively sound. "They lads are low, of course they are, they're disappointed, but they still have to take a lot of positives from the game. "The lads are all disappointed but what they showed from an attitude point of view is really pleasing and there's still a lot of football to be played. "I've only been here two weeks. We have to have a bit of realism. You can see the spirit and togetherness is there. It's just the moments where we've let ourselves down with the quality and concentration. "It's just about keeping the level of concentration for the full 95 minutes. We have two home games coming up and we have to be really positive. " The £250, 000 is up for grabs with Super 6, and as always it is completely free to play. Entries by 3pm Saturday.

© 2025 Sky UK