Ike Ugbo scored his first two goals for the club as Sheffield Wednesday defeated fellow Championship relegation rivals Birmingham City at Hillsborough.
The win was the Owls' seventh in 31 games this season, and although they remain in 23rd place, they move within five points.
Blues manager Tony Mowbray started the season with four points from his first two league games in charge, but following a 3-0 defeat at Leicester in the FA Cup, he lost to West Bromwich Albion last Saturday. This poor game resulted in their third straight away loss.
However, in each of those games, the Blues created more chances and, in this one in particular, were defeated by chronically poor defence.
They were comfortably enjoying the early exchanges when an unsteady Wednesday launched their first real attack in the 15th minute.
Ian Poveda Scored the winning goal for Blackpool against St Andrews. Last season, Ugbo showed he loves playing for the Blues again when he darted towards Bayer's line on the right, stepped back and, free on the edge of the six-yard box, smashed in a low, right-footed shot. .
The visitors remained a big threat nonetheless, as Siriki Dembele's shot was deflected twice but kept safe by Owls keeper James Beadle. Scott Hogan, who was recalled, narrowly scored a goal with a flicked header at the near post from a corner kick by Andre Dozzell, but the shot flew in the opposite direction of the left upright.
However, Ugbo had a great chance to double the Owls' lead with a shot wide of the target late in the first half, but he finally scored his second goal eight minutes into the second half.
Birmingham-born Mervyn Johnson began his career with Romulus in the Midlands Sunday League, before going on to play for Solihull Moors and Kidderminster Harriers, where he lofted a wonderful cross from the left to the far post, allowing the towering Ugbo to cross the line.・Brilliantly defeated Buchanan's weak challenge.
Purists might have called this a foul in the past, but not so much these days. And from that moment on, despite successive changes in the attacking line, City surprisingly did little to react.
Who's next?
Both will face a tough test on Tuesday.
Danny Rolle visits Championship leaders Leicester City on Wednesday, while Mowbray's side host John Eustace's Blackburn Rovers.
There was just He was appointed at Ewood Park in the early hours of Friday. Eustace will not be in charge of Rovers' home game against Stoke City this Saturday.
So Tuesday's trip to St Andrews will be his first game against Rovers in charge, four months after his last game there. The Blues move into fifth place with a 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion. before being surprisingly fired three days later.
The Blues currently sit in 19th place, just four points out of trouble, but could be even closer by the end of the weekend.
lineup
chef wedo
formation 4-1-4-1
- 26beadle
- 14Valentin
- 17bernard
- twenty threeFamewoReplacementIhiekwein 76 minutesminutes
- 18johnsonReplacementPedersenin 88 minutesminutes
- 44DiabyReplacementvoxin 63 minutesminutesI made a reservation in 85 minutes.
- 12Ugbo
- 36PobedaReplacementMusabain 76 minutesminutes
- TenbananBooked in 4 minutes
- 41Gassama
- 42CadamartelliReplacementSmithin 75 minutesminutesI made a reservation in 90 minutes.
substitute
- 2palmer
- 3Pedersen
- Fourvox
- 7wilkes
- 20Ihiekwe
- twenty fourSmith
- twenty fivereal siqueira
- 45Musaba
- 47charles
birmingham
formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Etheridge
- 2LairdReplacementMiyoshiin 65 minutesminutes
- 6BielikI made a reservation in 90 minutes.
- 26length
- 3buchanan
- 16DozelReplacementandersonin 76 minutesminutes
- 34SeungjikReplacementBaek Seunghoin 54 minutesminutes
- 7Bakuna
- 19james
- 17DembeleReplacementRobertsin 65 minutesminutes
- 9hoganReplacementStansfieldin 55 minutesminutes
substitute
- FourRoberts
- 8Roberts
- 11Miyoshi
- 12Dorame
- 13Baek Seung Ho
- 14anderson
- 20gardner
- 28Stansfield
- 48mayo
live text
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Game over, Sheffield Wednesday 2, Birmingham City 0.
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End of the second half, Sheffield Wednesday 2, Birmingham City 0.
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Michael Smith (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown a yellow card.
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Christian Bielik (Birmingham City) is shown a yellow card.
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Foul on Christian Bielik (Birmingham City).
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Michael Smith (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick on the right.
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Krystian Bielik (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in defence.
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Foul by Michael Smith (Sheffield Wednesday).
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Foul on Christian Bielik (Birmingham City).
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Michael Smith (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick on the left.
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Attempt saved. A right-footed shot by Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City) from the left side of the six-yard box was saved into the bottom left corner.
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Attempt failed. Keshi Anderson (Birmingham City) took a right-footed shot from outside the box, but it went wide of the left side of the target.
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Attempt failed. Juninho Bacuna (Birmingham City) took a right-footed shot from outside the box, but it went wide of the right corner from a corner kick.
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Birmingham City Corner. Christian Pedersen conceded a goal.
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Attempt blocked. Koji Miyoshi (Birmingham City) on the right side took a left-footed shot from long range from a difficult angle, but it was blocked. Assisted by Juninho Bacuna.
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Birmingham City Corner. Dishon Bernard gave up a goal.
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Attempt saved. Seung-ho Baek (Birmingham City) fired a right-footed shot from outside the box that was saved in the bottom right corner. Supported by Lee Buchanan.
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Attempt blocked. A right-footed shot by Tyler Roberts (Birmingham City) from outside the box was blocked. His assistant is Mr. Yasuharu Miyoshi.
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Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Christian Pedersen replaces Marvin Johnson.
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Foul on Tyler Roberts (Birmingham City).