Kim Hellberg’s verdict after Middlesbrough’s dramatic 3-2 victory over West Brom
Kim Hellberg celebrates at full-time after the win over West Brom(Image: Getty Images)
Kim Hellberg described Middlesbrough’s dramatic late winner at West Brom as one of his favourite moments at the club so far.
Delano Burgzorg came off the bench to fire the 90th minute winner in what looked to have been a game that Boro had thrown away. Two-nil up thanks to a Charlie Taylor own goal and a Sammy Silvera strike, West Brom appeared to have snatched a point when Boro collapsed in a poor ten-minute spell.
Goals from Isaac Price and Jed Wallace appeared to have cost Boro two points at the Hawthorns, before Burgzorg dramatic late winner, which prompted pandemonium on the Boro bench and in the away end.
While Hellberg would certainly prefer the comfortable two or three goal victories, he admitted moments like that are far more memorable.
He said: “Winning a football game in the last minutes, that is a feeling that is difficult to get anywhere else. The happiness, turning around seeing everyone on the bench being so happy, it is so good for everyone. It was one of my best moments since arriving.”
It was a game that Boro had looked so comfortable in. Managing an early storm well at the home ground of a side buoyed by the arrival of a new manager, they took control of the game and dominated before putting themselves in a comfortable position at 2-0 up.
But after Adilson Malanda squandered a golden opportunity to kill the game off in the 70th minute, Boro then conceded twice in a ten-minute period which was the only period of the game they did not manage well.
Reflecting on the game and performance overall, Hellberg detailed: “I’m very happy. Happy with a lot of things.
“They played over our press a lot in the first ten minutes and dealt with a lot of the second balls well. They got some momentum, and while they didn’t get a lot of chances, they got a lot of corners and balls into the box.
“They started to get the crowd with them a bit, but I think we adapted a bit, moved one position defensively, and started to get a grip of the second balls.
“From then on, I think it was only really one team on the pitch for a long period. From about 25 minutes, we started getting around their box a lot more. We got the feeling the goal was coming, and then we scored. It was deserved.
“We scored again and had the header from Malanda to make it 3-0, but they scored a free-kick directly afterwards and that got them and the crowd going. They scored with the next chance they had after that to make it 2-2, and then it was the game there for the taking.
“It was open, back and forth, and I think the players were unbelievably strong to take back control of the game and score that type of goal to win it.”
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