Cardiff City 1-3 Middlesbrough: Boro outclass Bluebirds as Sabri Lamouchi's wait for first win continues

The wait goes on for Sabri Lamouchi to oversee his first Cardiff City victory as Middlesbrough inflicted a 3-1 win over the Bluebirds.

Boro were slick and clinical in the first half. Cardiff were desperate and helpless in the second.

Sory Kaba scored on his home debut, but only after Marcus Forss had handed the visitors a lead earlier in the first half. Cameron Archer's well-taken goal just before the break put Boro well in the driving seat.

Cardiff did well to show initiative in the second half, but Boro always looked threatening on the break and that proved to be the case when Riley McGree coolly slotted home the third in injury time.

That's 14 games in all competitions - 12 in the league - without a win and not a single point in the three games in which Lamouchi has been in charge. A late Wigan Athletic goal, against relegation rivals Huddersfield Town, is the only reason the Bluebirds are not in the relegation zone.

If you hadn't seen either of these sides play once this season, then the opening quarter of an hour was about as good a barometer you could have for how they were faring this season.

Middlesbrough looked a cut above. Cardiff clung on as Boro carved them open time and time again. In front of their home supporters, Cardiff had less than 20 percent of the ball inside the first 15 minutes.

So, then, it was no surprise when they took the lead. And with a typically stylish goal, too.

The opportunity presented itself to the visitors after some poor hold-up play from Kaba in the middle of the park which ceded possession. Riley McGree was released on the right and he drilled a low ball into the box, where it found Archer, whose cool lay-off presented Forss with an opportunity to strike. He showed a fleetness of