EFL Cup: Middlesbrough stun Chelsea in semi-final first leg

Boro were without 12 key players before the match began, and their injury troubles worsened in the first half when Emmanuel Latte Lath couldn't recover from a strong challenge and Alex Bangura suffered a hamstring strain.

In the 31st minute, Cole Palmer had a great opportunity for Chelsea when Jonny Howson made a mistake and gave possession to the England international.

Palmer had a clear shot with his left foot from 18 yards out, but unfortunately, the ball rolled wide of the left-hand post instead of finding the back of the net.

During the first 35 minutes, Mauricio Pochettino's team had control of the game but didn't pose a significant threat.

It was Middlesbrough who scored Boro were without 12 key players before the match began, and their injury troubles worsened in the first half when Emmanuel Latte Lath couldn't recover from a strong challenge and Alex Bangura suffered a hamstring strain.

In the 31st minute, Cole Palmer had a great opportunity for Chelsea when Jonny Howson made a mistake and gave possession to the England international.

Palmer had a clear shot with his left foot from 18 yards out, but unfortunately, the ball rolled wide of the left-hand post instead of finding the back of the net.

During the first 35 minutes, Mauricio Pochettino's team had control of the game but didn't pose a significant threat.

Surprisingly, it was Middlesbrough who scored first in the 37th minute with a beautifully executed goal on the counter-attack.

In the moments leading up to halftime, Palmer had another golden opportunity to score when Tom Glover spilled Enzo Fernandez's shot. However, despite being just six yards away from the goal with a clear chance, the winger failed to equalize.

During his tenure at Tottenham Hotspur, Pochettino didn't place much importance on domestic cups. However, Chelsea came out in the second half with renewed determination, fully aware of how crucial it would be for the manager's tenure to secure an early trophy.

To start, Glover managed to hold Mykhailo Mudryk's powerful shot, before Raheem Sterling cut inside and narrowly missed curling a fierce shot over the bar.

Throughout the season, Chelsea's attacking play has lacked a strong threat in the center-forward positions, and this remained evident in their performance against a spirited Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough had been defeated by Chelsea nine times in a row prior to this match, and with the Blues coming off their biggest win of the season on Saturday, many expected them to easily overpower the depleted hosts.

However, Middlesbrough appeared largely comfortable and managed to secure a deserved, albeit slim, lead to take to Stamford Bridge for the second leg next week.