MIDDLESBROUGH, England (Interstat) — Substitute Josh Coburn scored twice in the second half to lift Millwall to a 2-1 comeback victory over Middlesbrough on Friday night in a Championship match at Riverside Stadium.

The result, defying pregame projections, handed Millwall a winning start to its league campaign while delivering a home defeat for Middlesbrough to open the season.

The home side controlled the early stages and was rewarded in the 26th minute when defender Dael Fry rose to meet a Riley McGree delivery, powering a header into the net to give Middlesbrough a 1-0 lead. McGree’s involvement was tempered shortly after the goal, as he received a yellow card in the 13th minute in a simultaneous booking with Millwall’s Jake Cooper.

Middlesbrough maintained its advantage through the remainder of the first half, aligning with statistical expectations. Data firm Interstat had given Middlesbrough a 66.10 percent probability to win the match, and its game simulator had projected a 1-1 draw.

Millwall manager Gary Rowett’s second-half substitutions changed the trajectory of the contest. The introduction of Josh Coburn proved decisive. The striker leveled the score in the 58th minute, finishing off an assist from fellow substitute Jake Cooper to make it 1-1.

As the match entered its final stages, Coburn struck again to complete the turnaround. In the 86th minute, he found the net for his second goal of the night, sealing a vital three points for the visiting side. The assists on both Millwall goals highlighted the impact of the bench, with Cooper providing the first and McGree, despite his earlier booking, credited with the assist on the winner.

The defeat marks a disappointing start for Middlesbrough under manager Michael Carrick, as the team failed to protect its lead and convert its favored status into a result. Fry’s opening goal was the lone bright spot in an otherwise frustrating performance that saw the team’s defensive solidity crumble in the final half-hour.

With the victory, Millwall begins its Championship season with a perfect record, earning an away win against a team expected to finish higher in the table. The team’s resilience after going a goal down and the clinical finishing of Coburn provided an ideal start to their campaign.

Middlesbrough, conversely, must regroup quickly after a loss that saw pregame analytics favoring them heavily. The team’s inability to close out the game after taking the lead will be a primary concern as it looks ahead to its next fixture.

The match was played under the lights in Middlesbrough, with the home crowd of 28,000 left disappointed as their team fell to an opening-day defeat. Both teams continue their Championship schedules next weekend.