Middlesbrough drew 2-2 away at Hull City in the Championship on Wednesday night.
Middlesbrough made the short trip to the MKM Stadium on Wednesday night, for a clash with top six rivals Hull City.
Both teams went into this game in play-off contention with both desperately needing a win to keep their hopes alive.
Hull started the night in 10th and Boro in 9th. Though it was Michael Carrick‘s side who took the lead after just four minutes.
Emmanuel Latte Lath continues fine scoring form for Middlesbrough
Emmanuel Latte Lath continued his fine scoring form with a tidy finish from a tight angle; his 11th goal in the Championship this season.
But Hull were ahead by the break through two avoidable goals; the first a free-kick from range which nobody got on the end of, with Seny Dieng flat-footed, then then second a fault of the Boro goalkeeper.
Dieng caught Lewis O’Brien off-guard with a loose, short pass, and Jean Michael Seri scored for Hull.
Hull were very much in cruise control for much of the second half.
But they were caught off guard by a blistering Boro counter-attack which saw Latte Lath and Finn Azaz exchanging, and the latter scoring the equaliser.
Seny Dieng under the spotlight
Dieng has just recently been linked with Newcastle United and Sevilla among others.
And despite making a couple of good saves against Hull City, Dieng came under criticism for Hull’s second goal in particular.
Whilst some may think he could’ve done better for the first, his decision to short-change O’Brien for Hull’s second will frustrate Carrick.
Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Leon Wobschall commented on the Dieng error in the 41st minute.
He posted on X:
One Middlesbrough player will be rubbing his hands right now
Whilst Carrick and no doubt Dieng will be frustrated at the second goal, it could come as good news for another Middlesbrough man.
Carrick’s side looked as though they were eradicating these avoidable errors and slowly mastering the whole passing out from the back.
But Dieng’s pass to O’Brien was rash and the latter deserves very little blame for Seri eventually breaking through and scoring.
So with Dieng attracting transfer interest, and the Senegalese still proving slightly divisive among fans, it could mean a change in no.1 next season, which would surely mean a call-up for Sol Brynn.
The Middlesbrough academy man has been turning heads on loan at Leyton Orient this season and looks like he’s barrelling towards a pivotal summer.
If he’s overlooked again, he’ll surely push for a permanent move. But if Dieng leaves then Brynn feels like the natural successor.
Middlesbrough sit in 9th after the draw vs Hull City.