Last-gasp Boro beat Norwich in seven-goal thriller

12th Sep 2026 | Source: BBC

Sebastian Berhalter was part of the USA World Cup squad this summer

Ashley Phillips scored an injury-time winner as Middlesbrough beat Norwich City in a seven-goal thriller.

Boro had led 3-1 only to be pegged back by a Canaries comeback in the second half before defender Phillips was on hand to steer home in the 91st minute.

It was the final act in a match that was full of drama from the start when Mohamed Toure had put the visitors in front inside a minute with his fifth goal of the season.

Boro turned that around to lead within seven minutes through Sebastian Berhalter and Amario Cozier-Duberry.

Berhalter's second of the afternoon towards the end of the first half gave them a cushion but they were stunned by Norwich's comeback.

The Canaries turned to their bench to try to get something and first Jovon Makama halved the deficit before Jacob Wright scored his first goal for the club to equalise five minutes later.

But just when it looked like Boro would drop their first points at the Riverside this season, Phillips grabbed the decisive seventh goal to move them up to fourth.

With a game in hand on the teams above them, Boro will go top of the Championship if they beat Millwall at home on Tuesday night, while Norwich dropped to 11th after a fourth loss of the campaign.

However, Phillipe Clement's side more than played their part in proceedings, and they had started so well as Toure, back after missing the midweek win over Birmingham City, put his side in front breaking clear after a loose pass from Aidan Morris.

But the lead did not last long as the Canaries lost possession inside their own area and Tommy Conway squared for Berhalter to score off the underside of the bar.

And Boro were ahead three minutes later with Conway again the provider, playing it into Cozier-Duberry, on his first league appearance since his deadline day loan move from Brighton, who smartly changed his feet and finished left-footed beyond Vladan Kovacevic.

Yet it needed a smart save from Radek Vitek to prevent Andre Brooks from equalising almost straight away.

However, Boro took command when Berhalter grabbed his second of the game and second since his summer move from the MLS, getting the vital touch as he timed his run from midfield to reach Callum Brittain's ball across.

They were pushing for a fourth but the Riverside was stunned as Norwich scored in the 70th and 75th minutes thanks to two of their substitutes.

Makama netted his first goal since January having recovered from a foot injury, slotting home from Wright's through ball before the midfielder then grabbed his first for the Canaries in his 54th game to bring them level.

But it was a Boro sub who proved decisive as Phillips, a summer signing from Stoke City, was there to turn home after Will Lankshear's initial effort had gone across the box.
Reaction - 'As good as Championship gets'

Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees:

"This is why football is the most beautiful sport in the world. As a neutral, this must have been absolutely crazy.

"As a manager, it was quite harrowing and the hair I have left will be grey, but the lads won it at the end by showing character and that is very, very strong.

"It was beautiful to see two teams going against each other that want to play football, want to be in control of the game, that believe in their own qualities. It was as good a game as you can get for the Championship.

"What an absolutely beautiful football game for the neutral and for supporters, emotions everywhere, but two teams who respect each other both going at it."
'Boro were lucky to get three points'

Norwich City head coach Philippe Clement told BBC Radio Norfolk:

"It was a frantic game. We started perfectly scoring the goal in the way we wanted to score it, behind the defence with the speed of Mo.

"Then three or four minutes later we give the equaliser away in a way that should never happen. But I was disappointed with the reaction after that as several players lost belief, lost the fire and we threw away 30 minutes of the game because of that and conceded two more goals.

"But I'm really proud about the second half, the face that the team showed. That is the Norwich I want to see every time, 90 minutes long, with this desire, the quality on the ball, creating chances.

"The last 10 minutes, Middlesbrough felt they were on the ropes and we missed a small thing to kill it off. Then in the dying seconds, they find an opener with a set-piece and I think they're really lucky to get the three points."
Player of the match
Number: 11 A. Cozier-Duberry
Average rating 8.16
Middlesbrough (active)

Norwich City

Number: 11 A. Cozier-Duberry
Average Rating: 8.16

Number: 6 S. Berhalter
Average Rating: 7.95

Number: 4 A. Phillips
Average Rating: 7.53

Number: 7 W. Lankshear
Average Rating: 7.19

Number: 10 A. Morris
Average Rating: 7.17

Number: 9 T. Conway
Average Rating: 7.13

Number: 2 C. Brittain
Average Rating: 6.96

Number: 30 Neto Borges
Average Rating: 6.85

Number: 8 R. McGree
Average Rating: 6.78

Number: 1 R. Vítek
Average Rating: 6.56

Number: 17 M. Arfsten
Average Rating: 6.55