Ramirez strikes to put Boro on their way to first home victory
Gareth Southgate will have enjoyed Middlesbrough’s opening goal. A midfielder’s surging run from deep inside his own half ended with a quick turn inside a defender’s challenge and a clinical, calm finish past Bournemouth goalkeeper Artur Boruc.
Sadly for Southgate in his role as England’s caretaker-manager, the scorer was a Uruguayan, Gastón Ramírez, but the former Middlesbrough player and manager would not be human if he did not shed his neutrality to welcome their first win in eight Premier League games. There were plenty of Englishmen on view to make Southgate’s return to the Riverside worthwhile. Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson and George Friend will have interested him, while Bournemouth featured Jack Wilshere and Charlie Daniels.
But it was Ramírez who stole the limelight with his splendid solo goal, which was backed up by Stewart Downing’s first Premier League goal for Middlesbrough in eight years.
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka made the signing of Ramírez one of his priorities after he spent last season on loan at the Riverside. “I wanted to sign him after last season and that shows how important he is to us. The main thing is he’s really confident and when he has confidence he’s an amazing player.” Eddie Howe, the Bournemouth manager, was less appreciative. “He has taken it really well, but we helped him,” he said. “It’s a disappointing goal for us. It was our corner and we expected an opportunity to score and they broke away.
“They got two goals that we wouldn’t have conceded in previous weeks when we have been good on the ball. We haven’t performed at our usual levels, but we still had chances to win it. It was a very, very tight game.”
Howe has a point. Bournemouth could justifiably claim they were the more positive and threatening side in the first 45 minutes, but there was one moment of magic in the opening half – and it came from Ramírez in the 39th minute.
Middlesbrough’s only other threat in the opening half had come a minute earlier when Friend fired into the side netting; otherwise Bournemouth had the edge in midfield and stretched a Middlesbrough back four that lacked the influential Daniel Ayala.
Only Adam Clayton’s positioning on the post prevented Josh King’s hooked shot going in after 14 minutes and King was again close when he moved on to a superb chipped pass from Wilshere in the 28th minute. King chested down the ball before producing a shot that keeper Víctor Valdés diverted on to the bar with the faintest of touches. It was a first half that offered hope to Bournemouth, but it was extinguished when Middlesbrough extended their lead 11 minutes after the interval.
Adama Traoré created the chance when his cross picked out Álvaro Negredo, who headed down to present Downing with an easy chance to claim his first top-flight goal for the club since May 2008. Bournemouth continued to play their neat, composed football, but lacked a cutting edge and only once hinted at a comeback when substitute Benik Afobe forced a save from Valdes only seconds after being sent on.
Karanka said: “It’s a massive win for us. We needed to win a game at home because our fans deserved the best. With them behind us and with our attitude, we won the game. We showed we are strong.
“We had a few problems in the first half, though, Bournemouth were playing well and I had to change the shape of the team. We looked more comfortable from then on.”
It was an encouraging day for Karanka on several fronts, with skipper Grant Leadbitter back in action as a substitute for the first time this season. “It’s really important to have him back,” Karanka said. “We know how important he is to this team. He can transmit his character to the team.”