Late Ducksch Header Rescues Point for Blues
Birmingham City fought back to claim a hard-earned point against West Bromwich Albion in a fiercely contested Championship derby on Wednesday evening. Marvin Ducksch emerged as the hero for the visitors, heading home a 78th-minute equaliser to cancel out Alex Mowatt's early strike for the Baggies.
The German striker continued his impressive scoring form, netting his third goal in just two matches with a perfectly placed header from Tommy Doyle's precision free-kick delivery. This crucial intervention ensured Blues avoided defeat on their travels for only the fourth time this season, though they missed an opportunity to climb into the play-off positions.
First Half Dominance from the Hosts
West Brom started the brighter of the two sides and established their dominance early at The Hawthorns. The breakthrough arrived in the 11th minute when Alex Mowatt's strike from the edge of the penalty area took a significant deflection off Phil Neumann, completely wrong-footing Birmingham goalkeeper James Beadle.
Birmingham struggled to create meaningful chances throughout the opening period, despite enjoying reasonable possession. Their frustrations grew when midfielder Tomoki Iwata received his fifth booking of the campaign for a foul on Callum Styles, ruling him out of Monday's upcoming fixture against Watford.
Second Half Revival and Dramatic Equaliser
The Baggies continued to threaten after the interval, with George Campbell creating space down the right flank before delivering a cross that Aune Heggebo nearly converted with a glancing header.
However, Birmingham gradually grew into the game as the second half progressed. Manager Chris Davies resisted making early substitutions, and his patience was rewarded as Blues began to apply sustained pressure. The momentum shift saw Patrick Roberts cause problems for the West Brom defence, while Jay Stansfield missed a promising opportunity when he opted to cross rather than shoot from a dangerous position.
The visitors' persistence finally paid dividends with just 12 minutes remaining. Tommy Doyle's excellent inswinging free-kick found Ducksch unmarked, and the German made no mistake with his headed finish into the far corner.
Birmingham pushed vigorously for a winner in the closing stages, forcing West Brom goalkeeper Josh Griffiths into a smart double save from efforts by Stansfield and Iwata. However, the hosts held firm to ensure the points were shared.
Birmingham City Player Ratings
James Beadle (6)
The goalkeeper wasn't excessively tested due to West Brom's wayward finishing but demonstrated competent distribution throughout.
Tomoki Iwata (6.5)
Struggled initially with positional discipline but improved significantly after half-time, developing an effective partnership with Patrick Roberts down the right flank.
Phil Neumann (5)
Endured a difficult evening with poor distribution and was fortunate not to be punished for a second-half error that Isaac Price failed to capitalise on.
Christoph Klarer (7)
The captain delivered a commanding performance, making a crucial defensive header to deny Heggebo and generally organising Birmingham's defensive efforts effectively.
Alex Cochrane (7)
Another solid display from the left-back, who handled the threat of Mikey Johnston with assurance and composure.
Tommy Doyle (7)
Grew into the game impressively and his quality delivery for Ducksch's equaliser proved decisive. Began to dictate play as Birmingham found their rhythm.
Paik Seung-ho (6)
Showed flashes of technical ability to create space in midfield but sometimes hesitated when opportunities to drive forward presented themselves.
Patrick Roberts (7)
Produced a vital defensive challenge to prevent a potential West Brom second goal and emerged as a significant attacking threat during Birmingham's second-half resurgence.
Jay Stansfield (6)
Found chances limited for much of the contest but improved as the game progressed, testing Griffiths with a powerful late strike from distance.
Demarai Gray (6)
Struggled to create the separation needed to deliver quality crosses or shots, with several touches in advanced areas letting him down.
Marvin Ducksch (6)
Frustrated for large periods by West Brom's central defenders but delivered when it mattered most with his expertly taken headed equaliser.
Substitutes
Kyogo Furuhashi, Keshi Anderson, and Marc Leonard were introduced too late to make a significant impact on the outcome.
The result leaves Birmingham City reflecting on what might have been, though they will take encouragement from their resilient second-half performance against one of the Championship's stronger sides.
