USA goalkeeper Zack Steffen produces stunning ASSIST as Middlesbrough clinch a Championship playoff spot and a one-in-four chance at Premier League promotion
- Zack Steffen is on loan at the high-flying Championship club from Man City
- The USA goalkeeper is a chance to gain promotion with the Boro via the playoffs
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Middlesbrough shot-stopper Zack Steffen might be used to preventing goals but showed he can also set them up with a superb longball assist to Cameron Archer Wednesday afternoon.
While playing in goal for the Boro, Steffen launched the ball forward beyond the last defender and into the path of Archer, which put the home side ahead as they went on to clinch a playoff spot.
From there, the Jamaican-English forward chested the ball down before passing it between the legs of an onrushing Karl Darlow, of Hull City.
The goal put Middlesbrough up 2-1 before Chuba Akpom added a third just three minutes later.
All three of the Boro’s goals came within a storming six-minute spell after going 1-0 down in the 41st minute to an Allahyar Sayyadmanesh strike.
Zack Steffen provided an assist with a tremendous longball to find teammate Cameron Archer
It is yet another positive result for Michael Carrick’s men, who brushed Norwich aside 5-1 on their last outing at the Riverside Stadium Friday.
The victory further cements their position as a sure-fire playoff team, alongside Luton Town.
They will respectively have a one-in-four chance of being promoted to the Premier League for the 2023-24 season.
Currently, Millwall and Blackburn Rovers occupy the remaining playoff places with as little as three games left in the Championship season.
It seems like it was a positive day for Steffen despite the early deficit, with his parent club Manchester City qualifying for the Champions League semi-finals with a 1-1 tie (4-1 aggregate) vs. Bayern Munich.
The Pennsylvania native revealed this week he has not spoken to USA World Cup, Gregg Berhalter after he chose to leave him out of the Stars and Stripes squad for last year’s tournament.
Steffen told ESPN that it was a ‘tough pill to swallow’ and underwent therapy in order to get help him deal with the hurt of the snub.
Steffen – who is on loan at Middlesbrough from Manchester City – did not go to the World Cup
Archer was the beneficiary of Steffen’s exquisite pass — and it put the home side ahead, 2-1
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