Middlesbrough 0-1 Birmingham City: Scott Hogan gives Blues victory
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Scott Hogan's goal - Birmingham's first in four league games - was enough to secure victory
Birmingham City won for the first time in seven Championship matches to dent Middlesbrough's play-off ambitions.
Scott Hogan's first-half goal was enough to secure all three points at the Riverside Stadium, with the striker finishing off a slick team move by tapping in Maxime Colin's low cross.
Boro almost equalised before half-time when Sam Morsy's header bounced down off the crossbar and on to the goalline before Blues keeper Neil Etheridge smothered the ball.
Duncan Watmore had the best chance to level the game in an improved second-half showing by the hosts, but saw his close-range half-volley saved by Etheridge.
Victory on Teesside lifted Aitor Karanka's side seven points clear of the relegation zone.
Returning Karanka frustrates former club
Former Real Madrid defender Karanka spent more than three years in charge of Boro - leading the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2015-16 - and denied his former employers the chance to move into the top six.
Birmingham were rewarded for their positive start when Hogan rounded off a move which included a brilliant backheel by winger Ivan Sanchez to set an overlapping Colin free inside the box.
The Teessiders may complain that the Spanish winger should have not been on the field, as Sanchez had appeared to kick out at Paddy McNair in an off-the-ball clash with the Boro centre-back.
After the visitors survived a scare from Morsy's header, which also missed the outstretched arm of Birmingham midfielder Jon Toral on the line, Etheridge was called into action at the end of the first half to tip over a free-kick from Marcus Tavernier, while Chuba Akpom saw a header deflected over the Blues bar.
Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock made a triple substitution at the break, and the changes almost had an instant impact as Britt Assombalonga side-footed wide in the first minute of the second half.
Boro had won their past four at the Riverside and continued to press in the second half, but the Birmingham defence held firm to inflict just their second home defeat of the Championship campaign.
The Blues, meanwhile, have now picked up 18 of their 26 points this season away from St Andrew's.
Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock told BBC Tees:
"We knew it would be physical and we didn't compete. We got bullied.
"They should have had a sending off, which would have changed everything. The lad lashed out and not one of the four officials could see it.
"Then the guy who should have been off [Sanchez] makes the goal and it's a double whammy.
"I don't think we would have scored if we had been playing until Sunday. We were better second half but the first half was as bad as I've seen."
Birmingham boss Aitor Karanka:
"I am very pleased with this performance. I hope this is a real sign of the future.
"We played well today for 45 minutes and then had to defend. We knew we had to defend really well against a good team, and we did.
"It's a nice feeling to have because the biggest challenge here has been changing the atmosphere.
"I thought I'd fixed it earlier in the season but it's been the same situation. It will be really important for sure."
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