MATCH FACTS: BORO VS CARDIFF
Club News
19th January
Middlesbrough v Cardiff City
Venue: Riverside Stadium
Date: Tuesday, 20th January 2015, 7:45pm
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Tickets for this match are still available. Please call 0845 345 1400 or buy tickets online now!
Cardiff City have a long midweek trip to face Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Tuesday night. The Bluebirds will be looking to return to winning ways after defeat at Norwich City on Saturday. ‘Boro enter the game on the back of a 2-0 home win against Huddersfield, a win that extended their unbeaten home record to 10 matches.
MATCH FACTS
- There have been eleven games since a fixture between Cardiff and Middlesbrough ended in a draw
- Cardiff have won four of the last six meetings at the Riverside Stadium
- ‘Boro are currently 13 points ahead of the Bluebirds and lie fourth in the table
- Grant Leadbitter is the Teesiders’ top scorer with 10 goals so far in this campaign
- Aitor Karanka’s men have picked up 25 points at home, the same home total as Cardiff City
- Middlesbrough have had the half time lead on nine occasions and have gone on to win all nine
KEY OPPOSITION PLAYER: Kike
The Middlesbrough frontman is the only person in Aitor Karanka’s squad to feature in all 26 league games this season. Not only that but it was his goal that gave ‘Boro the win in the Welsh capital back in September. The former Spain U20 international has scored six goals league goals including one on his debut against Birmingham City. Signed for £2.7 million from Murcia he had previously scored 48 goals in 150 games in a 5-year spell in the Los Pimentoneros first team and was the second top scorer in the Segunda Division in his final season in his home country. The 25 year old could prove to be a key figure on Tuesday evening.
ONE TO WATCH: Grant Leadbitter
Kike may have signed for a hefty price tag but it is Grant Leadbitter who leads the scoring charts with 10 goals so far this season. The former Sunderland youth product has been with ‘Boro since 2012 and is having his most prolific season of his career, already surpassing his previous best of seven goals with 20 games still remaining. His previous best season occurred back in the 2006-7 Championship campaign while still playing for the Black Cats. City will need to be on high alert as the former England Under 21 international has scored seven of his 10 goals on home soil and will no doubt be looking to add to that tally come Tuesday evening.
RECENT FORM (ALL COMPETITIONS)
Cardiff City:LLDWWL
Last time out: Norwich City 3-2 Cardiff City - Saturday 17th January 2015, Sky Bet Championship
Two second half goals from Alex Revell and Kadeem Harris were not enough to rescue a point at Carrow Road for the Bluebirds as Norwich’s three first half strikes were enough to ensure all three points remained in Norfolk. City came close to an equaliser but a first half penalty save from John Ruddy prevented Peter Whittingham getting his name on the scoresheet and Alex Revell nearly grabbed a second late on but his header drifted narrowly wide.
Cardiff City: Moore, Brayford, Morrison, Turner, Malone (John), Adeyemi (Ralls), Gunnarsson, Whittingham, Noone, Le Fondre (Harris), Revell. Subs Not Used: Fabio, Macheda, Connolly, Wilson.
Middlesbrough:WLWDDW
Last time out: Middlesbrough 2-0 Huddersfield Town – Saturday 17th January 2015, Sky Bet Championship
Boro’s home run now reads 10 games unbeaten as Karanka’s men dispatched Huddersfield Town at the Riverside Stadium. A brace from Lee Tomlin in the last half hour of the game proved to be enough to give the home side the win. His first was an unstoppable right footed strike from distance and his second was from even further out. Town keeper Alex Smithies had gone up for a late corner and Tomlin shot from 40 yards into an empty net.
Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos, Kalas, Gibson, Ayala, Friend, Leadbitter, Clayton, Tomlin, Bamford (Reach), Adomah, Kike (Vossen). Subs Not Used: Ledesma, Husband, Whitehead, Omeruo, Mejias Osorio.
LAST COMPETITIVE MEETING
2014/15: Tuesday 16th September, Championship: Cardiff City 0-1 Middlesbrough
An early Kike goal was enough for Middlesbrough on Tuesday night as Cardiff City fell to a second consecutive home defeat. Bruno Ecuele Manga made his City debut in the heart of defence, but it was not to be a dream start for the Gabon international as ‘Boro took the lead inside two minutes when Kike converted a whipped in Albert Adomah delivery. The former Bristol City winger continued to be a thorn in the side of the Cardiff defence in the opening exchanges and nearly provided a second assist, but for the defending of John Brayford. The Bluebirds searched for an equaliser second half, but failed to test Dimi Konstantopoulos in the ‘Boro goal. City were reduced to chances from free kicks and corners, but all were well dealt with by the visitors’ defence who held out for their third away win of the season.
Cardiff City: Marshall, Brayford, Cala, Ecuele Manga, Connolly, Whittingham, Adeyemi, Pilkington (Guerra). Jones, Macheda (Gunnarsson), Daehli (Le Fondre). Subs Not Used: Moore, Gabbidon, Eikrem, Burgstaller.
Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos, Damia (Nsue), Friend, Ayala, Omeruo, Leadbitter, Clayton, Reach, Adomah, Kike (Bamford), Vossen (Tomlin). Subs Not Used: Blackman, Gibson, Whitehead, Wildschut.
Tickets for this match are still available. Please call 0845 345 1400 or buy tickets online now!
