Whites defeated on the road.
Sky Bet Championship
Birmingham City 1 (Adams 29) Leeds United 0
Leeds: Casilla, Ayling, Cooper, Jansson, Alioski, Phillips, Klich (Clarke 70), Roberts, Hernandez, Harrison (Dallas 45), Bamford (Roofe 70). Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Forshaw, Berardi, Shackleton.
Birmingham: Camp, Pedersen, Colin, Kieftenbeld (Harding 57), Mahoney (Jota 76), Adams, Jutkiewicz, Dean, Maghoma, Gardner (Davis 45), Morrison. Subs: Trueman, Roberts, Vassell, Mrabti.
Booked: Dean (Birmingham), Jansson, Hernandez (Leeds)
Referee: M. Dean
Venue: St Andrew’s
Attendance: 24,197 (2,781 Leeds)
Leeds United suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat at Birmingham City in the Sky Bet Championship, as the race for promotion took yet another twist.
Leeds had a good early chance inside three minutes when Patrick Bamford played Tyler Roberts into the Birmingham box, he went for goal from a narrow angle firing over, but had options with Ezgjan Alioski and Jack Harrison in the middle.
Lukas Jutkiewicz had Birmingham’s first chance in the 18th minute at a corner, but he could only head over the crossbar.
In the 19th minute, Leeds supporters paid tribute to Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus, who were tragically murdered 19 years ago this week, by turning their backs on the match for a minute.
Leeds had a great chance to take the lead when Patrick Bamford beat the offside trap after being found with a Luke Ayling cross, but he saw his effort come back off the post.
Less than 60 seconds after hitting the woodwork, Birmingham took the lead. Che Adams found the back of the net with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.
With six minutes of the first half remaining, Adams did well to work room for a shot in the Leeds area, but he couldn’t get enough power on his effort to cause Kiko Casilla any problem.
In stoppage time of the first half, Mateusz Klich found Alioski with a cross to the back post, but he lashed a volley off target.
Half time: Birmingham City 1-0 Leeds United
Marcelo Bielsa introduced Stuart Dallas at the break and he almost created a goal nine minutes into the second half. After being found by Klich with a fine pass, the Northern Ireland international put a really good low ball into the box, but Bamford could only fire over from close range.
Klich then found Alioski in the Birmingham area with another lovely pass, but with time to control, he blasted a volley off target.
Lee Camp then made a fantastic save to keep the home side in front, denying a Bamford header following a Roberts cross.
Despite the Whites dominating possession and territory, it was the home side who nearly extended the lead. Adams turned Phillips on the edge of the Leeds box, before progressing into the area, but Casilla made a fine stop to deny him.
With five minutes remaining, Adams had another chance, when a low free-kick from Jota caught out the Leeds defence, but again Casilla kept Leeds in the match with another superb save.
The Whites then threw the kitchen sink at the Blues, throughout the six minutes of added time, but to no avail, leaving St Andrew’s with nothing.
Full time: