Middlesbrough vs. Chelsea: Score and Reaction from 2016 Premier League Match

Diego Costa netted his 10th Premier League goal of the season to earn Chelsea a 1-0 win over a resolute Middlesbrough side at the Riverside Stadium on Sunday and move the Blues to the top of the table.

The west London side have now won six league games on the bounce, not conceding a single goal in the process. 

It was a game of numerous excellent chances, particularly for the dominant visitors, but Costa’s opportunistic first-half strike proved the difference in the end. 

Both clubs provided their lineups ahead of kick-off:

TEAM NEWS | Here’s how #Boro will line up to face @ChelseaFC this afternoon. #UTB pic.twitter.com/wn2J3up5xF

— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) November 20, 2016

Here’s a reminder of today’s @ChelseaFC team… #MIDCHE pic.twitter.com/mdHsF43m0T

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 20, 2016

The hosts started brightly and looked dangerous on the counter-attack, getting beyond Chelsea’s defence twice in the opening exchanges but failing to carve out a genuine chance on goal.

Gaston Ramirez and Adama Traore looked particularly threatening; one of the latter’s bursting runs down the right resulted in Middlesbrough’s best chance of the half when Alvaro Negredo headed wide from eight yards 10 minutes before half-time.

Despite Middlesbrough’s early efforts, though, Chelsea had the better of the action in the opening 45 minutes.

Pedro almost opened the scoring in the 28th minute when he received the ball in space near the penalty spot after a Victor Moses cut-back, but Victor Valdes made a brilliant save to tip his former Barcelona team-mate’s shot over the bar, per BBC 5 …

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