Chuba Akpom spared the blushes of team-mate Ryan Giles as his brace earned Middlesbrough a 2-2 draw with Sheffield United at the Riverside.
The Blades looked to be heading for all three points when Giles rifled the ball into his own net midway through the second half, but, having already struck in the first half with a close-range finish, Akpom scored again with eight minutes remaining as he directed a header past goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.
Sheffield United thrashed Boro at Bramall Lane towards the end of last season and could not have wished for a better start on Sunday.
Just three minutes had gone when the visitors opened the scoring, with Sander Berge turning away from Riley McGree before drilling a low finish across keeper Zack Steffen and into the bottom corner.