Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Birmingham City: Scott Hogan gives Blues first win in seven
- Published
Scott Hogan's goal was his seventh in 24 appearances this season
Scott Hogan struck the only goal of the game to lift Birmingham City out of the Championship's bottom three with a vital victory at 10-man relegation rivals Sheffield Wednesday.
Hogan diverted home Jeremie Bela's cross-shot shortly after Liam Shaw's dismissal for a second bookable offence to ensure a first win in seven for Aitor Karanka's Blues.
Wednesday almost rescued a point in stoppage time but Jordan Rhodes' header was superbly tipped away by Birmingham keeper Neil Etheridge from point-blank range.
The win moves Blues up to 21st, while managerless Wednesday drop to 23rd, three points adrift of their conquerors and safety, albeit with a game in hand.
An unsurprisingly drab and tense first half between the division's joint lowest scorers produced precious few opportunities, although Blues fashioned the best chance as Gary Gardner headed wide from a Bela free-kick.
However, the game turned on two Shaw fouls either side of the interval as, having been cautioned for upending Ivan Sanchez, the Owls midfielder recklessly launched himself into a challenge on Maxime Colin that caught the man as well as the ball and was shown his second yellow card, followed by the red.
Wednesday keeper Keiren Westwood saved well to deny the lively Bela soon after but was beaten just after the hour as the Angola winger's ball in was prodded home first time by Hogan for his sixth league goal of the season.
The Owls had recorded five straight wins at Hillsborough - four of those victories coming under caretaker manager Neil Thompson - but that run came to an end, although Birmingham needed Etheridge's excellent late reaction stop to preserve all three points.
Blues' away record continues to keep their heads above water, making up for a miserable return of nine points from a possible 45 at home, but while victory will relieve some of the pressure on under-fire Karanka, it was far from convincing, even against 10 men.
Sheffield Wednesday caretaker manager Neil Thompson told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"It was a scrappy first half. We played too long. We weren't brave enough in possession.
"But for half an hour, 35 minutes, I didn't think they caused us any problems. Then they got into the game a wee bit and had one or two chances.
"Then in the second half the sending-off obviously changes things but I thought we dug deep, changed our system a couple of times and had a bit of a go. We had one or two little opportunities to get back on terms but it was not to be, and it's been a disappointing week all round."
On Liam Shaw's red card: "When you're on a yellow, you run the risk - years ago it's a tackle and it's a throw-in for Birmingham. But you can't leave the ground. You're deemed out of control and Liam is absolutely devastated."
Birmingham boss Aitor Karanka told BBC WM 95.6:
"It was a really important result and, finally, the table is reflecting the effort and the performance of the players because we have been really frustrated the last two, three, four games, when we were better than the opponent but we didn't get three points.
Karanka was appointed Birmingham boss in July 2020
"Finally today in a really, really important game, a really, really difficult game to play against a direct opponent, we have three more points on the table.
"In the first 15-20 minutes, the players felt the pressure because it was a game between two direct rivals and we were a little bit anxious and nervous but after that we controlled the game.
"We finished the first half really well, creating chances and then in the second half I think we were better than them."