Middlesbrough clinched a dramatic 4-3 win over Norwich City at the Riverside Stadium, thanks to a late strike from defender Ashley Phillips that proved the decisive factor in a seven‑goal spectacle. The Canaries entered the match on a winning streak, hoping to notch a third consecutive triumph, and they wasted no time. Just 50 seconds after kickoff, striker Mohamed Toure unleashed a powerful shot that rattled the back of the net, putting Norwich ahead almost as soon as the referee’s whistle sounded. However, Boro responded swiftly.
Within six minutes, new signing Sebastian Berhalter—who arrived from the Vancouver Whitecaps earlier in the summer—found the back of the net for the first time in a Middlesbrough shirt, leveling the score at 1‑1. The excitement grew when Amario Cozier‑Duberry, a dynamic winger on loan from Brighton, made his first league start and delivered a crisp finish a few minutes later, nudging the home side ahead. Berhalter then doubled his tally in the 36th minute, giving manager Kim Hellberg’s men a 3‑1 advantage and seemingly putting the game out of Norwich's reach.
Norwich refused to capitulate. With roughly 20 minutes left on the clock, substitute Jovon Makama struck a clinical finish to pull the visitors back within two goals. Just five minutes after that, fellow substitute Jacob Wright added another, making it 3‑3 and setting the stage for a frantic finale. In the dying seconds, Phillips—who had recently arrived from Tottenham and was celebrating his first league goal—found space in the box and hammered home the winner, sealing a third straight home victory for Middlesbrough.
The match featured several notable moments beyond the goals. Early on, Andre Brooks kept the ball alive for Norwich, allowing Toure to outmuscle defender Alfie Jones before firing a low, powerful shot into the far post. Berhalter’s equaliser came after a sloppy turn from Ruairi McConville, which gave Tommy Conway and Will Lankshear the chance to create a dangerous opening.
Shortly after, Berhalter delivered a precise cross‑field ball that Conway chested down and fed to Cozier‑Duberry, whose low curl found the bottom right corner of goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic’s net. Both sides created chances throughout the first half.
Middlesbrough’s goalkeeper Radek Vitek produced a fine one‑handed save to deny Brooks, while later in the half Berhalter was again in the right place to convert a loose shot from Callum Brittain, slipping the ball past a wrong‑footed Kovacevic to extend the lead. The second half began with fewer clear‑cut opportunities until Norwich introduced fresh legs. Wright and Makama combined effectively, with Makama’s finish beating Vitek to make it 3‑2 in the 70th minute. Wright then capitalised on space, finding Anthony Musaba before the latter’s shot was saved; Wright was quick to react, tapping the rebound high into the net to level the scores at 3‑3.
Middlesbrough, however, were not finished. In the final moments, Lankshear delivered a cross into the area, and Phillips arrived unmarked to slot the ball home, delivering a dramatic finish to the encounter and securing three points for the home side. Post‑match, Boro manager Kim Hellberg praised the contest, saying, "If you look at the game as a neutral, it was a fantastic game. Two teams gave everything they could, and the quality was high‑level football—exactly the kind I love to see.
We were the better side over 90 minutes, even against a strong opponent, and the character of the boys saw us through when things weren’t going our way in the second half. The squad’s unity is a huge strength; even players outside the matchday squad celebrated as if they had been on the pitch.
That camaraderie is not always present, but it is with this group. We still have work to do on game management, but the players’ character won us the game." Norwich City boss Philippe Clement reflected on the roller‑coaster encounter, admitting, "It was a frantic game with both sides fighting hard. The biggest disappointment wasn’t conceding the first goal but the period after that, when a few players started to doubt themselves and weren’t brave enough on the ball. We didn’t show the football we are capable of.
After the break we showed our quality, and the team performed brilliantly. The biggest memory of this game is how good we can be when everyone gives their all. It felt like a boxing match; Middlesbrough were on the ropes in the last ten minutes, but we got the final punch that knocked us down.
I’m proud of the second‑half display, and if we keep this level of effort in the coming weeks, we’ll have a good season. Everyone who watched will have enjoyed the seven‑goal thriller, but I’m gutted we leave without points because we deserved at least a draw." The match was also accompanied by promotional messages encouraging fans to watch EFL games on mobile devices, view free Championship highlights, and participate in a Super 6 competition for a chance to win £250,000.