Karanka pleased with Boro progress as de Sart shines
Boss Aitor Karanka is seeing progress with his Middlesbrough side after securing a first pre-season win yesterday.
Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ahli were beaten 2-0 at Boro’s Marbella training camp, thanks to strikes from David Nugent and lively Belgian newcomer Julien de Sart.
Karanka, whose side lost to Real Betis and drew with Alcorcon in their previous outings, enthused: “It’s not about the score at the end, it’s that we’ve improved.
“This week here, the last game has been much better than the first. For that reason, I am really pleased.”
The goals both came in the second half, after de Sart twice went close to making a breakthrough either side of the interval.
Summer signing Viktor Fischer assisted the opening goal in the 58th minute, firing over a low cross and Nugent finished off from a few yards out.
De Sart slammed home a cracking second goal to settle the issue 10 minutes later
“Most importantly it was another training session, another game, and we had no injuries again,” added Karanka, whose side fly back to Teesside ahead of Saturday’s friendly at Aston Villa.
Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos (Mejias 70), Nsue (Barragan 70), Baptiste (Morris 70), Jackson (Gibson 70), Reach (Friend 70), Forshaw (Clayton 70), De Sart (de Roon 70), Stuani (Ramirez 70), Fischer (Negredo 70), De Pena (Adomah 70), Nugent (Rhodes 70)
Crystal Palace won 1-0 at Colchester in their friendly last night, thanks to a superb Jordon Mutch strike.
Ex-Sunderland striker Martyn Waghorn struck twice as Rangers beat Stranraer 3-0 to finish top of their Betfred Scottish League Cup group. Niko Kranjcar also notched.