World News – GB – Norwich take the lead after Boro’s penalty shoot-out

Norwich rose to the top of the championship after two penalties in the second half at Middlesbrough.

Neil Warnock’s Boro had made the game close but missed the chance to resume shortly after the break when Marcus Tavernier’s free kick was denied as he slipped and hit the ball twice as it hit from 12 yards.

Twenty minutes later, Norwich’s Max Aarons was brought into the box by Hayden Coulson and Teemu Pukki coolly sent goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli in the wrong direction.

Boro couldn’t do much in the closing stages, despite Britt Assombalonga being turned down from close range by an excellent Grant Hanley block.

With lost points for Reading and Watford, Daniel Farke’s Canaries are clear on the summit, while their opponents drop to eighth place after a first defeat in eleven league games.

In a game between two of the championship’s best defense mechanisms, the lack of clear opportunities came as no surprise, despite Marvin Johnson’s Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul making two appearances in the first half.

Middlesbrough received a free kick when Tavernier was knocked down by ex-Boro center-back Ben Gibson. Although the penalty was scored, it was ruled out as the midfielder was unlucky enough to touch the ball twice when he lost his foundation.

Norwich was buoyed by his stroke of luck and Emi Buendia almost linked Przemyslaw Placheta’s low cross before substitute Pukki shot his penalty in the corner at halftime.

Marc Bola put his body on the line to prevent the visitors from scoring a second goal, but Boro failed to score in a third game in a row and has now played 1-0 in each of his last five league games against Norwich lost.

Attempt blocked. Teemu Pukki (Norwich City) right footed shot from the center of the box is blocked.

Middlesbrough F. . C.. . , Norwich City F. . C.. . , Neil Warnock, EFL Championship, Teemu Pukki, Marcus Tavernier, Patrick Roberts