Boro claimed all three points with a hard-fought 2-1 win at the Riverside.
Michal Helik fired the visitors into the lead in the first half, but a first goal for Kelechi Iheanacho struck back Boro before Neto Borges produced an unbelievable finish to claim all three points.
Possession
25%Shots
8Shots On Target
3Corners
5Fouls
100
0
Cards
2
0
Boro were unchanged from the team that drew at Kenilworth Road before the international break.
The visitors started the game quickly when Will Vaulk launched a long throw into the box but an effort from Ciaron Brown only found the gloves of Mark Travers.
The U’s went closest to taking the lead in the opening stages. Matty Phillips delivered a dangerous ball across the face of goal that found Przcmyscaw Placheta at the back post, but Travers denied the winger superbly.
Phillips had a chance of his own when he was on the end of an in swinging corner, but he directed his effort just wide of the target.
The fast start to the game continued when Boro worked it well to Kelechi Iheanacho on the edge of the box, but his left-footed strike was blocked well.
The visitor’s long throws continued to cause problems for the Boro defence throughout the first half. It paid off just before the break when a loose ball fell to Helik, who fired home to give the visitors the lead.
Boro responded well when Iheanacho danced his way past the defenders and fired an effort goalwards, but his effort rattled the crossbar.
Middlesbrough: Travers, Dijksteel, Howson, Neto Borges, Iling-Junior (Giles 85'), Morris, Hackney, Burgzorg (Whittaker 66'), Iheanacho (Forss 75'), Azaz, Conway (van den Berg 85')
Subs: van den Berg, Barlaser, McGree, Whittaker, Forss, Glover, Giles, Woolston, McCabe
Oxford U: Cumming, ter Avest (Romenij 83'), Nelson, Helik, Brown, Phillips (Kioso 45'), Matos, Vaulks, Dembélé (Goodrham 65'), Placheta (Mills 65'), Harris (Bradshaw 65')
Subs: Long, McEachran, Romenij, Goodrham, Rúben Rodrigues, Ingram, Kioso, Mills, Bradshaw
It was the perfect start to the second half for Boro when Iheanacho bagged his first goal for Boro. Samuel Iling-Junior darted down the left wing and his square cross was finished from close range by Iheanacho.
Boro continued to push for a second and fired their visitors a warning when Morghan Whittaker delivered a dangerous cross before Tommy Conway was denied by a superb save from Jamie Cumming.
The Teessiders continued to pose the U’s problem as the second half progressed.
That pressure counted when Borges produced a remarkable finish to fire us into the lead. Iling-Junior was involved once again when he drilled a low ball into the box before the Brazilian flicked his effort into the bottom corner.
This was to be the last of the action with Michael Carrick's side claiming all three points.
