Championship · 2025Tue, 12 May 2026 19:00
Southampton
2 : 1
Middlesbrough
Full time
Match recap
Southampton secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough in their Championship playoff semi-final first leg, decided in extra time. The Saints took an early lead, dictating the pace and looking comfortable for much of the first half. However, Middlesbrough fought back well after the break, finding an equaliser that shifted the momentum firmly in their favour. As the game entered extra time, both sides pushed for a winner, with Southampton ultimately seizing the opportunity to snatch a crucial second goal. This narrow home win gives Southampton a slender advantage heading into the second leg, but Middlesbrough's resilience suggests the tie is far from over.
Markets (closing odds)
Match Result
Home2.32
Draw3.27
Away2.66
Away Team Goals 0.5
Over 0.51.20
Under 0.53.42
Away Team Goals 1
Over 11.47
Under 12.34
Away Team Goals O/U 1.5
Over 1.52.18
Under 1.51.51
Away Team Goals 2
Over 23.95
Under 21.17
Away Team Goals 2.5
Over 2.55.01
Under 2.51.08
Events
- 5'Goal — R. McGree (Normal Goal)
- 13'Card — Riley McGree (Yellow Card)
- 37'Card — Nathan Wood (Yellow Card)
- 38'Card — Luke Ayling (Yellow Card)
- 45'Goal — R. Stewart (Normal Goal)
- 56'Card — Finn Azaz (Yellow Card)
- 66'subst — K. Matsuki (Substitution 1)
- 73'subst — T. Conway (Substitution 1)
- 78'Card — Adilson Malanda (Yellow Card)
- 83'subst — D. Strelec (Substitution 2)
- 84'subst — R. Stewart (Substitution 2)
- 85'subst — L. Scienza (Substitution 3)
- 92'Card — Callum Brittain (Yellow Card)
- 105'subst — R. McGree (Substitution 3)
- 116'Goal — S. Charles (Normal Goal)
- 119'subst (Substitution 4)
- 119'subst — C. Jander (Substitution 5)
- 119'subst — L. Ayling (Substitution 4)
- 120'Card — Cyle Larin (Yellow Card)
- 120'Card — Daniel Peretz (Yellow Card)
Match statistics
7Shots on Goal3
6Shots off Goal7
20Total Shots19
7Blocked Shots9
13Shots insidebox11
7Shots outsidebox8
15Fouls19
11Corner Kicks5
0Offsides1
60%Ball Possession40%
4Yellow Cards4
—Red Cards—
2Goalkeeper Saves4
589Total passes405
489Passes accurate316
83%Passes %78%
1.99expected_goals0.98
-0.06goals_prevented-0.06
Lineups
Southampton4-2-2-2- D. PeretzG
- J. BreeD
- T. Harwood-BellisD
- N. WoodD
- R. ManningD
- S. CharlesM
- C. JanderM
- F. AzazM
- K. MatsukiM
- R. StewartF
- L. ScienzaF
Middlesbrough3-4-2-1- S. BrynnG
- L. AylingD
- D. FryD
- A. MalandaD
- C. BrittainM
- A. MorrisM
- R. McGreeM
- M. TargettM
- M. WhittakerF
- T. ConwayF
- D. StrelecF
Form
Southampton — last 5 home
DDWWW
Middlesbrough — last 5 away
LDDDD
Head to head
More from Championship
Standings — Championship
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF:GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Coventry | 46 | 28 | 11 | 7 | 97:45 | 95 |
| 2 |  Ipswich | 46 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 80:47 | 84 |
| 3 |  Millwall | 46 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 64:49 | 83 |
| 4 | Southampton | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 82:56 | 80 |
| 5 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 72:47 | 80 |
| 6 |  Hull City | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 70:66 | 73 |
| 7 |  Wrexham | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 69:65 | 71 |
| 8 |  Derby | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 67:59 | 69 |
| 9 |  Norwich | 46 | 19 | 8 | 19 | 63:56 | 65 |
| 10 |  Birmingham | 46 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 57:56 | 64 |
| 11 |  Swansea | 46 | 18 | 10 | 18 | 57:59 | 64 |
| 12 |  Bristol City | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 59:59 | 62 |
| 13 |  Sheffield Utd | 46 | 18 | 6 | 22 | 66:66 | 60 |
| 14 |  Preston | 46 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 55:62 | 60 |
| 15 |  QPR | 46 | 16 | 10 | 20 | 61:73 | 58 |
| 16 |  Watford | 46 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 53:65 | 57 |
| 17 |  Stoke City | 46 | 15 | 10 | 21 | 51:56 | 55 |
| 18 |  Portsmouth | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 49:64 | 55 |
| 19 |  Charlton | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 44:58 | 53 |
| 20 |  Blackburn | 46 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 42:56 | 52 |
| 21 |  West Brom | 46 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 48:58 | 51 |
| 22 |  Oxford United | 46 | 11 | 14 | 21 | 45:59 | 47 |
| 23 |  Leicester | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 58:68 | 46 |
| 24 |  Sheffield Wednes | 46 | 2 | 12 | 32 | 29:89 | 0 |