Sachsen Leipzig 0 Middlesbrough 2

29 July 2010 10:25
Sachsen Leipzig 0 Middlesbrough 2[LNB] A MIDDLESBROUGH side that included two trialists kicked-off their mini pre-season tour of Germany with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Sachsen Leipzig.[LNB] Following the capture of attacking left-sided midfielder Tarmo Kink, who yesterday signed a three-year contract after joining from Hungarian club Gyori ETO, Gordon Strachan has turned his attentions to bolstering his options at left-back.[LNB] His determination to put pressure on the likes of Andrew Taylor and Joe Bennett was underlined by the inclusion in last night's squad of 32-year-old Italian defender Mirko Pieri of Serie B outfit Livorno and 23-year-old German- based Senegal international Jackson Mendi who each played 45 minutes of a contest Boro dominated.[LNB] Neither were particularly stretched by Leipzig and the pair are expected to be given another chance to impress when Boro face Union Berlin on Saturday (ko 3pm).[LNB] David Wheater and Barry Robson made their first appearances since last season and both emerged unscathed.[LNB] Robson sat in central midfield alongside fellow Scot Kevin Thomson with Willo Flood and Nicky Bailey patrolling the left and right flanks respectively.[LNB] And it was Bailey who wrapped up victory on 77 minutes, adding to his debut Boro strike against Bray Wanderers last Wednesday. His simple finish followed Leroy Lita's close-range effort that had presented Strachan's side with a first half lead.[LNB] Kris Boyd appeared to have recovered from the ankle problem he suffered last week and he played for just over an hour but Scott MacDonald was not included in the squad.[LNB] Matthew Bates continued his rehabilitation with a 15- minute run as substitute for right-back Justin Hoyte.[LNB] Kink, a 24-year-old Estonia international, joined the Teessiders in a deal believed to be worth around £750,000 and he is scheduled to join his new team-mates next week.[LNB] Strachan outlined the reasons why he had made the midfielder, capped 46 times by Estonia, his sixth signing of the summer.[LNB] He is a lad we've watched on quite a few occasions and we liked what we saw. He is a good ball player and I think he will be a good acquisition for the squad, said the Middlesbrough manager.[LNB] He's had a virus which has knocked him back a bit, but he starts training with us next week and he should be fully recovered by then.[LNB] Kink played for a short spell on loan at Russian side Spartak Moscow.[LNB]

Source: Northern_Echo