Reading 1-2 Birmingham City: Jon Toral scores twice as 10-man Blues hold on
- Published
Jon Toral scored his first goals for Birmingham since April 2016 when he was on loan from Arsenal
Birmingham City earned back-to-back Championship wins for only the second time this season as they held on with 10 men to beat Reading.
Blues saw out the final 19 minutes a man short after captain Harlee Dean was sent off for picking up a second yellow card when he was adjudged to have brought down Yakou Meite in the box.
But keeper Neil Etheridge dived to his right to save Lucas Joao's spot-kick and earn Blues victory.
Reading, who could have gone second with a win, failed to register a shot on target in the first half and trailed to two Jon Toral goals at the break.
Toral drilled Birmingham in front with a shot from 20 yards that went in off the post after controlling Kristian Pedersen's cross for his first goal since rejoining the club from Hull City in the summer.
And he doubled the lead eight minutes later, cutting in from the right to curl a left-footed shot past keeper Rafael from the edge of the box.
Meite pulled a goal back just after the hour when he poked home Andy Rinomhota's pass from eight yards, but the Royals were unable to sustain any serious pressure on the away goal in their quest to find an equaliser.
Indeed, Birmingham, who lost winger Jeremie Bela to injury in the warm-up, could have won more convincingly after creating the better chances.
Bela's replacement, Jonathan Leko, had a first-half effort cleared off the line by Liam Moore, before Rafael pushed away Scott Hogan's downward header.
Hogan then had a chance to put Blues 3-1 up before Dean's dismissal, but the striker could only fire wide when played through one-on-one with the Reading keeper.
Birmingham's victory, which lifted them to 15th in the table, continued their recent remarkable record at the Madejski Stadium, where they have now taken 17 points in their last seven league visits.
Reading remain in the play-off places in fifth and are one of four clubs locked together on 30 points.
Reading manager Veljko Paunovic:
"We have been in these situations in the past when we have been down at half-time. We couldn't come back completely, even though the reaction was positive.
"We have to put ourselves to the next level, the level of maturity, the level when we can deal with adversity.
"But I still think this a fantastic group and I am so happy to work with them.
"I just wish we had started the first half like we started the second half. That was the key - the intensity, the conviction, everything."
Birmingham head coach Aitor Karanka:
"We had a very good first half with the ball, created chances and scored goals. In the second half, when they scored, it became a difficult game. After the sending off, it was even tougher.
"But the spirit that we showed on the pitch tonight. Even those on the bench, who were supporting their team-mates - shouting and helping them.
"It was a game in which to be proud of this group of players. I said a few weeks ago that people should be patient and so it has proved."
On Jon Toral: "I knew that Jon was going to have his time to be good. If he keeps going in this way, he will be very good for the team.
"He has been waiting for his chance. He started the season well, then he got injured and he's now desperate to show what he can do."
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