Sky Bet Championship Middlesbrough defied the odds as they went through to the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup defeating Manchester United 3-1 on penalties.

It proved to be quite a quiet affair in the first period with George Friend having the first real opportunity 16 minutes in, there was a fiery period towards the end with Kike, Marouane Fellaini and Stewart Downing having opportunities but couldn’t prove critical.

United kicked off the second half with opportunities from Andres Pereira and Memphis Depay but still couldn’t find the net. Wayne Rooney and Chris Smalling had opportunities in the final ten minutes but couldn’t prevent extra-time.

Grant Leadbitter and Fellaini had the only real opportunities in the first period of extra-time. Pereira, Fellaini and Anthony Martial had opportunities close to the end but couldn’t find the back of the net.

United were let down in the shootout as misses from Rooney, Michael Carrick and Ashley Young saw them crash out.

Middlesbrough mount the pressure

It was the away side that had the first clear opportunity of the game 16 minutes in when Leadbitter did well to knock a failed corner back into the danger area with Emilio Nsue attempting the spectacular over-head kick.

The spectacular effort fell kindly for Friend but he somehow couldn’t Sergio Romero from three yards out.

Fiery end

The last five minutes of the first half proved to be fruitful with three separate opportunities for both sides.

The first came from the away side when Daniel Ayala played a great ball into Kike who brought down the ball brilliantly first time before attempting to chip Romero while on the run but couldn’t quite connect properly.

It was then the turn of United a minute later when Fellaini chested the ball down in the area and his effort looked to be destined for the net but Friend did brilliantly to fly in to block the Belgian’s effort.

Downing then had his shot on goal when he hit a thunderous drive towards the top corner and Romero did brilliantly to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Flying out of the traps

It was Louis Van Gaal’s side that came flying out the traps in the second half with a great opportunity 53 minutes in.

The Pereira did well to dispossess Jack Stephens 25 yards away from goal and had the option to play it through to Rooney but the Brazilian decided to go it alone which is parried by Tomas Mejias but does well to gather on the second attempt.

Closer and closer

Boro fans were in a frenzy when it looked like Daley Blind had gifted them the lead when the Dutchman had horrifically sliced it past Romero but luckily for him the flag was up.

Memphis then showed his trickery just after the hour mark when he took the ball up field before cutting inside the two defenders but Middlesbrough were let off when the Dutchman sliced at thin air.

It was nearly another fatal mistake from United in as many minutes when Romero almost fluffed Blind’s back pass but luckily it didn’t end with a goal.

There were appeals for a penalty when Matteo Darmian’s effort looked to have hit the arm of Ayala but Lee Mason waved away the appeals.

Desperate times

Things became desperate as the game entered its final ten minutes, Rooney managed to get behind the defence and managed to slice it Pereira who teed it up for Fellaini but he sliced it into the Stretford End.

Smalling then had an opportunity moments later when he looked to head Young’s cross towards goal but couldn’t quite get the right touch onto it.

So close yet so far

United had the best opportunity as the game entered second half extra-time when as a ball from the left managed to find Lingard but his volley rifled back off the post.

Middlesbrough came within inches of making into the quarter-finals on two separate occassions, Leadbitter was one-on-one with Romero and attempted to chip but the Argentine read it perfectly.

It was then Downing who struck a sweet shot after the ball came in from the left but it was straight at Romero.

Electric extra-time

It wasn’t long until the extra-time started to get going with Middlesbrough once again coming close when Leadbitter tried a volley but Smalling unknowingly did brilliantly to get in the way of the effort.

It was then United who once again went up the field as Fellaini played the ball out Pereira and he returned the favour as he played a dangerous ball into the area but Friend and Mejias did well to prevent the Belgian from heading home.

The final opportunity of extra-time came four minutes from the end when Fellaini one again teamed with Pereira but the Brazilian's shot was just a yard wide of the bottom corner.

Nervous shootout

It was Boro who stepped up first and Leadbitter made no mistake as he rifled it into the top left-hand corner.

Rooney stepped up to take United’s first spot kick and was denied when Mejias got down to turn it away but was redeemed when David Nugent sent his kick over the crossbar.

Pereira who had a fantastic game levelled the score sending Mejias the wrong way but Boro took the lead again as Downing made no mistakes as he fired into the right hand corner.

Middlesbrough fly through

United handed their opponents the upper hand once again when Carrick missed it and Ben Gibson gave Aitor Karanka’s side some breathing space as he sent it down the centre of the goal.

The pressure was all on Young and he cracked as Mejias saved the wingers effort to send Middlesbrough into the last eight.  

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About the author
Danial  Kennedy
Award-winning sports journalism graduate. Currently studying a PR Masters at the University of Sunderland. Writing for VAVEL since August 2014. Twitter - @ddkjournalism.