Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Middlesbrough: Tony Mowbray's side hit back to sink Boro
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough at Ewood Park on Saturday; Andri Gudjohnsen and Todd Cantwell score as Tony Mowbray's side hit back to beat Boro.
Saturday 22 August 2026 18:37, UK
Blackburn stunned Middlesbrough with two goals in the space of six second-half minutes to earn a 2-1 victory at Ewood Park which continues their impressive start to the season.
After conceding late against Wolves, the early signs pointed to more misery for Rovers as Kim Hellberg's side smothered them early and were rewarded through Jeremy Sarmiento's composed 12th-minute finish.
Rovers created enough in that first half to give their fans encouragement and pounced after the break through Andri Gudjohnsen's 49th-minute header - his second goal in as many games - and Todd Cantwell's diving header six minutes later to complete the turnaround.
They saw the game out with a determined rearguard action to give Tony Mowbray his first league victory of his second stint in charge and four points from two games against pre-season promotion favourites represents a positive start to the campaign.
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Middlesbrough started positively and Sean McLoughlin was forced into a vital headed clearance early on before a super Rovers break saw Gudjohnsen's flick send Ryan Alebiosu clear, only for Radek Vitek's outstretched leg to deny him.
Boro's early dominance was rewarded in the 12th minute with a goal that was a clinic of patient build-up and owed much to Morgan Whittaker's ingenuity as his quick feet released Sarmiento perfectly, who calmly slotted into the bottom-right corner.
Blackburn were a whisker away from an equaliser midway through the half when Harry Pickering's left-wing cross was met by Ryoya Morishita's powerful low volley but Luke Ayling was back on the line to clear.
Rovers spurned another glorious opportunity just before the break when they robbed Boro of possession, allowing three Blackburn players to race forward against two defenders but when Gudjohnsen squared the ball back to Kristi Montgomery in the centre of the goal, he couldn't generate the direction to beat Vitek who parried clear.
The hosts finally made it count just after the restart when Pickering swung in a corner form the right and Gudjohnsen beat his marker to firmly plant his header into the top-right corner.
It stung the visitors into action and Rovers stopper Balazs Toth had to make two sprawling saves down to his right within a minute, parrying Myles Peart-Harris' header behind, before repeating the trick to thwart Whittaker.
But the visitors' composure was lacking by this point and Blackburn completed the turnaround in the 55th minute when Vitek's parry found Alebiosu on the right and his cross was met by a thumping diving header from captain Cantwell.
Blackburn's organisation was summed up by the fact that, despite monopolising possession, Boro were restricted to speculative efforts and the closest they came to equalising was curling efforts from the right for Callum Brittain and Whittaker which both sailed over.
The managers
Blackburn's Tony Mowbray:
"I like Todd Cantwell. The games I came to watch last year, I think technically he was very good with the ball. If anything, he would drift into areas and I'm thinking he's not going to hurt the goalie.
"I've spent a bit of time talking to him really. He has to assist; he has to score. If he doesn't assist and score, it doesn't matter how good you are with the ball, you can't play in the team if you're playing number 10 because a number 10 in any team in the world has to assist and score goals.
"He's taken that on board very much so to the point of a brilliant cross and run against Burton for our winning goal. Today he scored a brilliant goal himself. He's listening which is really pleasing for me because he is a talented boy.
"I'm really pleased with Todd that he's getting into them areas where he can affect the goal, helping the team score and scoring himself."
Middlesbrough's Kim Hellberg:
"I think the performance was a big step forward to be fair from the last game. I'm disappointed we're 1-0 up in the first half and don't get anything from here.
"I think the first half is OK. We should be happy to be 1-0 up even if I think it's an even first half.
"Then there are 10 minutes of weak defending and bad positioning where they score their two goals. Blackburn do a lot with very few opportunities but when they get those opportunities they make a lot from it.
"The 10 minutes of defending is not close to being good enough. I'm frustrated but I can also understand we are not where we want to be."
