American midfielder Aidan Morris made his Middlesbrough debut in the English Championship on Saturday, helping the club to a first opening day victory since 2014.
Morris started and played the full 90 minutes as Michael Carrick's side defeated Swansea City 1-0 at the Riverside Stadium. It was the 22-year-old's first competitive appearance for the Teesside club since his summer transfer from the Columbus Crew.
The win was secured thanks to Emmanuel Latte Lath's penalty goal in the 25th minute. Morris, operating in the heart of Carrick's midfield, impressed with a composed performance, completing 89% of his passes, winning three duels and making five defensive recoveries.
The former MLS Cup winner was also the 1,000th player to feature for Middlesbrough in the club's history, a fact that he acknowledged with a mixture of excitement and humility.
"It was pretty cool," Morris said after the game. "This is such a special club, so to be able to help them reach that number is pretty cool. The atmosphere was amazing. After playing in the States for a long time, being able to play in front of something like this is something you dream about. It was a special day for me."
Morris was quick to highlight the challenges of the Championship, acknowledging the need for sustained concentration over the full 90 minutes.
"It takes 90 minutes and more," he added. "We could've won the game by more than one goal, but then you see the chances they get at the end of the match. You need full concentration for 90 minutes, but I think the atmosphere and energy from the fans was amazing and got us over the line."
Next up for Middlesbrough is a trip to fellow Championship side Leeds United on Wednesday in the first round of the EFL Cup. The match will see Morris face fellow USMNT midfielder Brenden Aaronson, who scored Leeds' equaliser in their 3-3 draw with Portsmouth on Saturday.
"Really pleased with him," said Carrick of Morris. "Not surprised because he has settled in great and that is why we were interested in him. First one is out of the way for him, but happy for him."
"All of these games are super important and new to me, so I am buzzing for it," said Morris, looking ahead to the trip to Elland Road. "That game will be fun."