Irish-Ghanaian defender James Abankwah found the back of the net for Watford, but his goal served only as consolation in a heavy 5-1 defeat to Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium in Championship Round 45.
Watford fell behind early when Morgan Whittaker struck in the 6th minute, setting the tone for a dominant first-half performance from the hosts. David Strelec extended Middlesbrough’s lead in first-half stoppage time to make it 2-0 at the break.
Shortly after the restart, Abankwah gave Watford brief hope. The 22-year-old reacted well in the 48th minute to reduce the deficit to 2-1, finishing off a move created by Kévin Keben. However, any momentum was quickly extinguished as Whittaker added his second goal in the 58th minute to restore Middlesbrough’s two-goal cushion.
Tommy Conway then took full control of the closing stages, converting a penalty in the 75th minute before sealing the emphatic win with his second goal in the 90th minute.
Despite his goal, it was a difficult afternoon for Abankwah, who also picked up a yellow card. The defender has now made 30 Championship appearances in the 2025/26 season, totaling 2,512 minutes with one goal and no assists, alongside five bookings.
Watford remain 16th in the league standings with 57 points after 45 matches. They will now aim to recover when they host Coventry City at Vicarage Road on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
