Marvin Ducksch once again proved to be Birmingham City’s hero, scoring a crucial late equaliser to earn a battling 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday night.
The German striker, netting his third goal in two matches, rose highest to meet Tommy Doyle’s expertly delivered free-kick in the 78th minute, cancelling out Alex Mowatt’s early opener for the hosts.
West Brom took the lead early in the match with Mowatt’s deflected strike from the edge of the box in the 11th minute, capitalizing on a half-cleared long throw-in. Despite dominating possession in the first half, Birmingham struggled to create clear-cut chances against Albion’s disciplined defence and goalkeeper Josh Griffiths, who was otherwise largely untested.
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The Blues endured a frustrating first half compounded by a booking for Tomoki Iwata, his fifth of the season, which will rule him out of Monday’s fixture against Watford.
West Brom began the second half on the front foot, with George Campbell’s wing play and Aune Heggebo’s headed effort troubling Birmingham early on. Manager Chris Davies resisted early substitutions, and the decision paid dividends as Blues gradually increased their attacking threat.
Ducksch linked up well to lay off a chance to Jay Stansfield, who unfortunately crossed instead of shooting inside the box. Patrick Roberts came alive down the right, delivering dangerous balls that unsettled Albion’s defence, while Nat Phillips cleared a panic-inducing scramble from the hosts’ six-yard area.
West Brom’s counter-attacks remained a threat, with Karlan Grant and Isaac Price causing problems down the flanks. Yet, it was Blues who punished Albion’s failure to close out the game, with Ducksch’s header sparking a late surge.
In the final moments, Griffiths made a brilliant double save to deny Stansfield and Iwata, securing a point for the visitors.
Individually, James Beadle’s performance was steady though largely untroubled, Tomoki Iwata recovered well after a difficult first half, and Christoph Klarer stood out with a key defensive header. Alex Cochrane maintained solidity on the left, and Tommy Doyle’s influence grew as the match progressed, highlighted by the quality of his assist for the equaliser.
Meanwhile, Paik Seung-ho showed flashes of skill but missed opportunities to drive at the defence, and Demarai Gray struggled to influence the game consistently. Ducksch’s goal underscores his importance despite a generally quiet game.
Substitutes Kyogo Furuhashi, Keshi Anderson, and Marc Leonard had limited time to impact the closing stages.
Overall, Birmingham City showed grit to avoid defeat on the road with a spirited second-half display, keeping their play-off hopes alive despite not seizing the chance to move up the table.