Will Lankshear's debut strike ensured Middlesbrough made a winning start to the season as they beat  Championship rivals Wrexham 1-0 in the Carabao Cup first round.

Lankshear, a £10 million summer signing from Tottenham Hotspur, scored the only goal of the game in the 61st minute as he hooked home an excellent first-time volley after a cushioned header from another debutante, United States midfielder Sebastian Berhalter.

- Wrexham sign Preston captain Ben Whiteman

"He [Lankshear] was very impressive, and the most impressive thing has been seeing how well he has worked on the training ground," Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg said. "How hard he works on the training ground and how much he wants to learn.

"It's a joy to watch, and when you add the person he is to the quality he has as a footballer on the pitch, you have a very good striker. I'm happy to have him here."

Middlesbrough almost claimed a seventh-minute opener, but while Adilson Malanda prodded Berhalter's cross goalwards from close range, Danny Ward kept the ball out with a superb point-blank save.

New signing Danny Imray wasted a decent chance for Wrexham when he failed to make a proper connection from Callum Doyle's cross, and the visitors went close again six minutes before the break when Sam Smith fired a low shot into the legs of Sol Brynn after he was rolled into space by Nathan Broadhead.

Stu Forster/Getty Images

---

Lankshear came close with an effort that was curled just over the bar at the start of the second half, but the 21-year-old did not have to wait too much longer for his first goal in a Boro shirt.

Leo Castledine headed Jeremy Sarmiento's cross into Lankshear's path, and the striker swivelled neatly before hooking a superb first-time volley into the far corner.

Boro almost doubled their lead with three minutes remaining, but Morgan Whittaker's low strike rebounded off the post.

Alongside Berhalter, who arrived from the Vancouver Whitecaps last week, Middlesbrough also handed a debut to fellow U.S. international Max Arfsten.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said his side had given a decent account of themselves just four days after returning from a preseason tour of the United States.

"I thought we had enough half-chances, particularly in the first half, to have progressed in the competition," he said. "The game really separated from one quality finish from their lad. We had some good build-up play, but just didn't quite have that clinical edge.

"It was a big ask in terms of coming back from America on Monday, and you've got to give the lads credit for going close. There were a lot of positives in the performance."

Both teams will begin their league campaigns in just over a week's time, with Middlesbrough hosting Lincoln City on Aug. 15 and Wrexham visiting Cardiff two days later.

PA contributed to this report.