Cardiff were unbeaten in three away league games against Middlesbrough since losing three in a row between 2013 and 2016Middlesbrough kept their promotion hopes alive with a vital 2-0 win over Cardiff City at the Riverside Stadium. Chris Wilder’s side are now seventh, trailing Sheffield United by two points with two games left in the battle for the last Championship play-off berth.Boro went ahead on 28 minutes with their first effort of note, as Marcus Tavernier found the net from 25 yards with a powerful right-footed effort.Riley McGree’s deflected shot on 53 minutes sealed a vital victory.Middlesbrough knew a win was imperative in their bid to finish in sixth place, with no room for slip-ups against a Cardiff side safe from relegation and with little to play for.Wilder made one change from the Boro side that drew 1-1 at Swansea City on Saturday, with on-loan Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun replacing Josh Coburn in attack.Bluebirds boss Steve Morison – who has admitted he is already eyeing next season – made two changes from Cardiff’s 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United, with Wales midfielders Rubin Colwill and Will Vaulks replacing the injured Joel Bagan and Joe Ralls.The visitors also switched formation as they lined up with an unfamiliar back four and a midfield diamond, and they looked comfortable as they restricted the hosts.Middlesbrough began to exert more pressure and they found a breakthrough when Jonny Howson picked out Tavernier, who fired home from 25 yards as Cardiff’s defenders failed to close him down… Click below to read the full story from BBC Sport
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