Silvera service is just enough to halt Enzo’s flying Foxes
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Michael Carrick hailed his team’s ‘will to win’ after stunning the Championship leaders.
An impressive first half display saw goals from young strikers Finn Azaz and Sammy Silvera (below) prove enough to sink promotion certs Leicester.
Enzo Maresca’s side piled on the pressure in the closing minutes – with Jamie Vardy’s 12th goal this season setting up a nervy finish for Boro.
But Carrick’s men held on for their first win in five games – and became the only team to do a league double over Leicester this season.
It left Boro hoping for a late run to the play-offs – and Carrick said: “I could sense before the game the boys got it tactically and they were eager to carry it out. The incredible spirit and will to win was there.
“We’ve taken a few hits lately, and we’ve had injuries, but I’m just happy that something went our way for a change.
“We lost a fair chunk of the squad, four or five of them have been captain at some stage.
“The players are thinking ‘what next?’. They felt they could’ve had more. They’re saying, ’It’s not enough, we want more.’ It’s up to us now to do that.
“I had a feeling about bringing Sammy Silvera into the team from the start – credit to him, I’m delighted for him. He’s wanted to play more, so this is a massive goal for him.”
Carrick made five changes for the game – and took full advantage of a day when Leicester were wasteful in front of goal.
Jannik Vestergaard and
Azaz 24, Silvera 37
Patson Daka both missed chances before Boro took a 25th-minute lead.
Silvera found Lewis O’brien who beat the offside trap and crossed for Azaz to finish the move off for his second goal in successive games.
Boro went two up when Riley Mcgree punished a sloppy Stephy Mavididi pass and set up Silvera to power the ball into the far corner.
Leicester stepped it up in the closing moments and Vestergaard missed yet another chance.
Sub Vardy also fluffed his lines in front of goal before giving the Foxes some hope after running on to a Tom Cannon ball and outpacing Matt Clarke.
Leicester are still nine points clear of second placed Leeds – with the teams meeting on Friday night. But Maresca said this result changes nothing in terms of preparing for the Elland Road clash.
He insisted: “It’s exactly the same for the next game. If we are going to win the next one, or lose or draw, it doesn’t mean that it’s finished. It’s important for sure. But from now on, all the games are.”
LEICESTER: Hermansen 6; Pereira 6, Faes 5, Vestergaard 4, Justin 6; Winks 7, Dewsbury-hall 5 (Mcateer (63) 7); Fatawu 5 (Yunus (58) 7), Praet 6 (Albrighton (89) 5), Mavididi 5 (Cannon (45) 6); Daka 5 (Vardy (63) 7) MIDDLESBROUGH: Glover 6; Mcnair 8, Van den Berg 8, Clarke 6; Ayling 8, Barlaser 7, Mcgree 8 (Dijksteel (89) 6), Engel 7; O’brien 8, Silvera 8 (Forss (78) 6); Azaz 7 (Greenwood (68) 6) STAR MAN: Luke Ayling – His experience shone through as Boro defended for their lives near the end. REF: Chris Kavanagh 7