Leeds United vs Birmingham City. Sky Bet Championship.
Elland RoadAttendance27,392.
Saturday 13 August 2016 18:24, UK
Michael Morrison's second-half strike earned Birmingham a 2-1 win at Leeds to end a winless run of seven league games.
The visitors stood firm against some intense early pressure, which saw the Yorkshire side hit the crossbar, and stunned Leeds when they hit the front through Jacques Maghoma.
Leeds got the equaliser their superior possession and energy deserved when Hadi Sacko scored after a terrible goalkeeping blunder from Tomasz Kuszczak on 27 minutes.
But the Blues came out a different side after the break and showed more grit in midfield and better ball retention and got their reward 10 minutes after the restart when Morrison smashed home from six yards.
Kuszczak pulled off two good reflex saves in the closing stages as Birmingham survived seven minutes of injury time to hold on.
Marcus Antonsson smashed a thunderous effort against the bar after 10 minutes as Leeds started well.
Birmingham hit the front against the run of play when Maghoma calmly slotted home on 15 minutes after a brilliant counter-attack.
Blues nearly extended their lead on 26 minutes when David Cotterill's effort was deflected just past the post after Maghoma caught the Leeds defence napping.
But the Yorkshire side deservedly levelled when Sacko's tame shot squirmed under the body of Kuszczak on 27 minutes.
Kuszczak made slight amends for his blunder when he superbly blocked Luke Ayling's long-range thunderbolt on 35 minutes as Leeds continued to dominate.
David Davis rifled a powerful strike high and wide before Stephen Gleeson went close for Birmingham either side of half-time.
And Gary Rowett's men got their reward for a much brighter start to the second half when Morrison rifled into the roof of the net after Leeds failed to clear a corner.
Morrison came close to getting on the end of Cotterill's cross on 58 minutes as Birmingham took control.
Kuszczak showed great alertness to turn Gleeson's sliced clearance away for a corner on 79 minutes as United cranked up the pressure. He then saved smartly from Antonsson in the dying stages, before Kemar Roofe headed wide when unmarked as Birmingham clinched the win.
