Middlesbrough’s playoff hopes in the Sky Bet Championship were bolstered on Saturday as Kelechi Iheanacho’s first league goal in nearly 18 months ignited a comeback victory against Oxford, ending with a 2-1 scoreline at the Riverside Stadium.
The 28-year-old striker, on loan from Sevilla since January, marked his first goal for Middlesbrough with a powerful finish just three minutes into the second half, leveling the score after Oxford’s Michal Helik had taken the lead seven minutes before the break.
The former Leicester forward’s strike paved the way for a late surge, capped by Brazilian defender Neto Borges, who flicked in his debut goal for the club with 10 minutes remaining to secure the win.
The victory marks Middlesbrough’s third consecutive home league triumph—a feat not achieved since October 2023—bringing them level on points with sixth-placed West Brom. With seven matches left in the season, Teesside fans are growing increasingly optimistic about a playoff berth, though Coventry remains two points ahead in the race for the top six.