Lankshear stunner sends Boro past Wrexham in cup
Middlesbrough will go into the draw for the second round of the Carabao Cup after beating EFL Championship rival Wrexham 1-0 in their opening match of the knockout tournament at Riverside Stadium.
Will Lankshear scored the only goal of the game, celebrating his move from Tottenham Hotspur with a fine strike just after the hour, which was enough seal the win.
"It was a really good night. I thought the boys played really, really well," Lankshear said after the final whistle.
"Everyone is really, really ambitious, everyone is really looking forward to this year and it's going to be an exciting one.
"You get the feeling of something really positive here so it's great to be involved in that."
A game of few chances was goalless at half-time, and aside from Lankshear's winner, the game little goalmouth action, especially from Phil Parkinson's Wrexham side, which looked short of imagination ahead of the Championship kick-off next week and was also missing arguably its best player, Josh Windass.
Parkinson will have to pick his men up quickly, though, with a Welsh derby against Cardiff City on the calendar to start their Championship season on 18 August (AEST).
Boro, meanwhile, will host Lincoln City for its first fixture of the league campaign on 16 August (AEST).
