Kelechi Iheanacho’s first league goal in nearly 18 months helped spark a Middlesbrough revival and earn a 2-1 win over Oxford that has strengthened Teesside hopes of a Sky Bet Championship play-off place.
The 28-year-old former Leicester striker finished confidently and powerfully inside three minutes of the second half to cancel out Michal Helik’s opener seven minutes before half-time.
To cap Iheanacho’s first goal for Middlesbrough since arriving on loan from Sevilla in January, Brazilian defender Neto Borges also flicked in his first for the club and that turned out to be Boro’s winner with 10 minutes left.
Middlesbrough, who have won three home league games in a row for the first time since October 2023, are now level on points with sixth-placed West Brom with seven matches remaining. Coventry are two points further ahead.
Oxford, buoyed by ending a nine-match winless run in their last outing, deserved to be ahead before the break. In fact, they could have had more than one.
The first fantastic chance for the visitors arrived as early as the fifth minute. Matty Phillips got beyond his man down the line and crossed perfectly, but Przemyslaw Placheta’s first-time effort was turned behind by Mark Travers.
Phillips was the next to be wasteful. The experienced winger scuffed an effort wide of the back post from close range when he looked certain to turn Siriki Dembele’s corner into the net.
Despite a number of occasions when Middlesbrough looked to find an opening in the final third, the nearest they came to scoring was when Hayden Hackney struck off target from 22 yards.
Oxford got their reward in the 38th minute. Middlesbrough’s failure to deal with a long Will Waulks throw into a crowded box ended with Mark Harris’ cushioned lay-off landing perfectly for Helik to hammer low inside Travers’ bottom right corner.
Even then Middlesbrough could have been level before half-time but Iheanacho, who had beaten a couple of defenders, saw his effort hit the bar after he had lifted his finish over Jamie Cumming.
The disappointment on the Nigerian’s face soon disappeared after the break when he powered in the equaliser.
Iheanacho pounced on Samuel Iling-Junior’s brilliant delivery from the left touchline, missed by Ciaron Brown, and struck first time beyond Cumming.
Suddenly Iheanacho had a new lease of life. He played in substitute Morgan Whittaker down the right, where he clipped a cross to the back post for Tommy Conway to head goalwards for Cumming to save.
And with 10 minutes remaining Middesbrough grabbed a stylish winner.
Iling-Junior, impressive down the left, played a clever one-two with Aidan Morris and from his low cross into the area Borges was on hand to flick brilliantly beyond Cumming.
