Sky Bet EFL Championship
Saturday 31 January 2026
Kassam Stadium, Oxford
Oxford United… 0
Birmingham City… 2
(OG Peart-Harris 23’, Ducksch 67’)
Oxford United lost 2-0 at home to Birmingham City after goals in each half from the away side.
It was an incredibly quick start for United inside the opening 10 minutes, with moments of real pressure, but the final ball failed when the moment came to deliver.
Unfortunately, despite the initial momentum, it was Birmingham who took the lead on 23 minutes. A freekick was awarded by the goal-line, which City were able to move a few yards into the field. That allowed Paik to whip a fast ball straight on goal, which took a deflection off Myles Peart-Harris and into the net.
It was a half of few chances, with the first shot on target for United coming on 38 minutes. Matty Phillips was the architect, doing superbly well to keep the ball alive on the left, and he set up Cameron Brannagan for a strike which deflected into the arms of James Beadle.
There was a change at the break with Yunus Konak on for Jamie McDonnell who had collected a yellow card in the first half.
Three minutes into the second half and Birmingham should have made it 2-0. A lovely move saw Jay Stansfield burst through on goal, with his cut back perfect for Ibrahim Osman, but Brodie Spencer miraculously got back to put the pressure on the winger and make sure his shot didn’t find the empty net.
United tried to push back, but with 23 minutes left, City doubled their lead. It was a find move, with Robles smartly backheeling the ball to Ducksch and he curled the ball into the bottom left corner.
Oxford pushed for the goal to get back into the game, with Ole Romeny going closest, forcing Beadle in a fine reaction save low to his left which could have changed the complexion of the game.
It wasn’t to be and now all roads lead to Sheffield United away on Tuesday night.
Oxford United: Cumming, Spencer, Long, Davies, Brown, Phillips (Placheta 54’), McDonnell (Konak 46’), Brannagan, Peart-Harris, Mills (Romeny 65’), Harris (Lankshear 54’)
Subs: Ingram, Vaulks, Helik, Leigh, Lankshear, Missanga
Birmingham City: Beadle, Klarer, Neumann, Paik, Solis, Roberts, Osman, Iwata, Stansfield, Wagner, Ducksch
Subs: Allsop, Doyle, Kyogo, Wright, Robles, Osayi-Samuel, Fujimoto, Priske, Mazwi
Attendance: 11,509 (1,515 away)
50/50: £1,591.50. No: 102350