Boro vs Portsmouth: Must-win match end in 0-0 draw, promotion chance dey slip

Wahala dey for Middlesbrough as dem play 0-0 draw with Portsmouth for Riverside Stadium today. Boro, wey dey fight for automatic promotion, no fit win match wey dem suppose win. Kim Hellberg boys dey control ball but no fit score goal, and now dem chance dey slip.

From beginning, Boro come out with two changes for starting lineup. Matt Targett replace injured Alex Bangura for left-back, while Dael Fry take Luke Ayling place for defence. Sammy Silvera return to bench, but Hayden Hackney, Morgan Whittaker, and Leo Castledine still no dey available.

First half na pure frustration. Boro dey control possession but no dey create clear chance. Dem play dey look ponderous, players dey overthink am. Jeremy Sarmiento, wey start again, no show anything special. Portsmouth, wey no win match for eight games before this one, just dey defend well.

Second half, Hellberg make two quick changes. Luke Ayling and Sontje Hansen come in for Targett and Sarmiento. Boro try small small, but still no fit break Portsmouth defence. Riley McGree get one good volley wey goalkeeper save well. Alan Browne nearly score with chip, but goalkeeper block am.

Tommy Conway get chance when Portsmouth defender make slack backpass, but instead of shooting, he try pass to David Strelec and lose ball. Fans vex well well. Later, Conway nearly benefit from own goal when Portsmouth defender almost put ball inside net.

Portsmouth goalkeeper Toby Schmid dey on top him game. He save from McGree and Browne, and organize him defence well. John Mousinho team get one mission: stop Boro from scoring, and dem do am perfectly.

For other matches wey affect Boro promotion chance, Coventry no fit beat Sheffield Wednesday. Frank Lampard team draw 0-0, meaning dem no fit secure promotion today. Ipswich win 2-0 against Norwich for derby match, which make Boro automatic promotion chance even harder.

Leicester City and Swansea City also play 0-0 draw for King Power Stadium. Both teams dey fight for different things – Leicester want escape relegation zone, Swansea want maintain position.

Now, with just five matches remain, Boro dey face serious problem. Dem no win for six matches straight. Dem dey play well sometimes but no dey score goals. Set-piece defence and finishing dey fail dem. Hellberg need find solution quick quick before season end.

Portsmouth, on their own side, get important point wey help dem for relegation fight. Dem no win for nine matches now, but this draw show dem fit defend under pressure.

Boro fans dey frustrated as dem watch their team waste another opportunity. Riverside Stadium crowd try encourage players, but as match dey go on, hope dey reduce. Automatic promotion dey look like dream wey dey slip away, unless something change fast.