Premier League Cup Group H

Birmingham City 2 (Reid 45, Boyd-Munce 46)

Leeds United 0

Leeds: Meslier, Struijk (Kamwa 64), Cresswell, Kenneh, Stanley, Jenkins, Bogusz, Huggins, Hosannah, McCarron (Gibbon 64), Edmondson (McMillan 77).  Subs not used: Male, McKinstry.

Booked: Kenneh 

Venue: Loughborough University Stadium

A goal either side of half time saw Leeds United Under-23s suffer defeat in the Premier League Cup against Birmingham City at Loughborough University Stadium.

Leeds had a great chance to open the scoring inside nine minutes.  The Whites won possession deep into the Blues half and Ryan Edmondson put a dangerous low cross into the box, but Niall Huggins was unable to convert the chance.

Six minutes later Whites goalkeeper Illan Meslier was called into action, making a decent save to deny Jack Concannon’s strike from 25 yards.

After initially slipping, Huggins did superbly to get back to his feet and drive the ball forwards.  He played a lovely one-two with Bryce Hosannah to break into the Birmingham box and was only denied by a fine Ramos save, with the Birmingham stopper tipping his strike wide off the post.

Joseph Stanley saw a long range strike saved really well by Ramos and from the resulting corner Hosannah saw a strike deflect just inches wide.

Charlie Cresswell then went close with a header from a set piece, but once more Ramos kept the scores level.

Huggins struck wide from the edge of the box, before Ramos in excellent form again denied Stanley after the Leeds midfielder had weaved his way through the Blues defence.

Hosannah teed up Mateusz Bogusz who tried his luck from 25 yards, but once more Ramos would not be beaten.

Against the run of play, on the stroke of half time, Birmingham took the lead.  Jayden Reid found the top right corner with a wonderful strike from just inside the Leeds box, which gave Illan Meslier no chance.

Half time: Birmingham City 1-0 Leeds United

It took less than 60 seconds for the home side to double their lead in the second half.  A dinked through ball by Joe Redmond put Caolan Boyd-Munce in on goal and he made no mistake.

Concannon nearly added a third for the hosts in the 50^th minute, he hit a drive from 25 yards, which went just wide.

Odin Bailey then struck over from range, before going close after working room for a shot from the edge of the box, firing just wide.

Reid was played into the Leeds box as the Blues continued to press, but he could only fire off target, before Boyd-Munce shot over after being teed up by Ryan Burke.

Birmingham again went close, this time from a corner, with Redmond denied from close range by Meslier.

In stoppage time, the Blues nearly sealed the victory with another goal when Amari Miller set up Reid in the Leeds box, but he couldn't get the better of Meslier.

The result leaves Leeds bottom of Group G after three games, leaving qualification hopes for the next stage slim.

Full time: Birmingham City 2-0 Leeds United