This time Chelsea's loss to the second tier league team

 This time Chelsea's loss to the second tier league team

Middlesbrough player Hayden Hackney in action surrounded by Chelsea players during the Carabao Cup Semi Final First Leg match between Middlesbrough and Chelsea at Riverside Stadium on January 09, 2024 in Middlesbrough, England.(Image-Getty)

As the saying goes, what happens with money! But that doesn't always prove true on the football field. Take Chelsea and Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough, a second-tier team in the English league, has a squad worth no more than £60 million. And the price of the squad of Chelsea, the big team of English football, is about 1 billion pounds. However, this Middlesbrough beat Chelsea 1-0 last night!

Chelsea played at Middlesbrough last night in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final. Hayden Hackney scored for the hosts in the 37th minute of the match held at Riverside Park. Not only Hackney but also Middlesbrough goalkeeper Tom Glover. The Australian blocked several Chelsea attacks.

Cole Palmer squandered two great first-half scoring chances for Chelsea. Middlesbrough, who won the tournament in 2004, had a chance to score from every attack after the break. However, Chelsea can only blame themselves for the loss of the match, wasting a total of 18 goals in the two halves of the match.

Chelsea lost the League Cup for the first time since 1999 against a lower league team. The Blues lost against Huddersfield in this competition 24 years ago. It was Chelsea's first loss to a lower league team since 2015 in all competitions.

And Hackney became the first Middlesbrough player to score against Chelsea since Mark Viduka in 2006. Through this, the 21-year-old midfielder spent 14 hours and 6 minutes in Middlesbrough's goal against Chelsea.

After the loss, Chelsea coach Mauricio Pochettino admitted his mistakes and said, "We made some mistakes in the first half, we gave the goal a chance. After they became aggressive and blocked from too deep, the defense was unable to break through. But there are still 90 minutes in hand. 23 January return leg at Stamford Bridge.