Sky Bet Championship

Leeds United 1 (Phillips 65)

Birmingham City 0

Leeds: Casilla, Ayling, White, Berardi, Alioski, Phillips, Dallas, Klich (Roberts 61), Harrison, Costa (Douglas 84), Bamford (Nketiah 45).  Subs: Miazek, Gotts, Davis, Clarke.

Birmingham: Camp, Pedersen, Roberts, Colin, Dean, Villalba, Bellingham (Gardner 76), Gimenez, Sunjic, Crowley (Maghoma 67), Jutkiewicz (Bailey 76).  Subs: Stockdale, Harding, Clarke-Salter, Davis.

Booked: Alioski, Casilla (Leeds), Jutkiewicz, Sunjic (Birmingham)

Referee: R. Jones

Venue: Elland Road

Attendance: 35,731 (1,996 Birmingham)



Kalvin Phillips’ second half strike secured Leeds United victory in the club’s centenary match at Elland Road.

Ahead of the match, Leeds United legends from over the years were welcomed out onto the pitch, with a mosaic and fireworks as the two teams took to the hallowed turf.

The first chance of the match came in the eighth minute, Stuart Dallas sent Mateusz Klich into the Birmingham box with some quick thinking at a throw and his cross was cleared as far as Ezgjan Alioski, who forced Lee Camp into a good save.

Alioski had another from 25 yards, when a Phillips free-kick was cleared out to him, this time striking wide.

Following some decent build up play by the Whites, Jack Harrison laid the ball off to Patrick Bamford to strike, with his low effort across goal going just narrowly wide of the post.

Fran Vilalba had a rare shot for Birmingham in the 33^rd minute, with his attempt from 25 yards off target.

Leeds had a great chance to take the lead five minutes later.  Bamford was played in at goal, he superbly set up Costa with a back heel, but his shot was blocked.  Dallas then played a fine one-two with Klich, but then was unable to get the better of Camp when clean through.

Half time: Leeds United 0-0 Birmingham City



Head coach Marcelo Bielsa introduced Eddie Nketiah at half time, replacing Bamford and he was immediately involved.  He went down in the Birmingham box under a challenge, but the referee adjudged the foul to have taken place just outside of the area, with Alioski firing the resulting free-kick wide.

Birmingham nearly went ahead in the 51^st minute, though, when Villalba was just inches away from finding the top corner with a fine strike from 25 yards.

Nketiah saw a deflected strike saved by Camp, before defender Ben White made a superb block to stop Alvaro Gimenez’s shot at the other end.

Lukas Jutkiewicz was next to go close for the Blues, with Kiko Casilla making a decent save to stop his curling effort.

Leeds got the all important breakthrough in the 65^th minute.  Jack Harrison stole possession deep into the Birmingham half and set up Phillips to power home his first goal of the campaign.

The goal gave Leeds confidence as the Whites began to penetrate the Birmingham defence, first Nketiah dragged a shot wide, before Harrison was denied by a fine stop from Camp, who tipped his strike around the post.

A Costa cross then deflected into the path of Alioski who was again denied by Camp, before Jutkiewicz again tested Casilla.

Alioski was then played in on goal at a narrow angle, but could only fire over the bar, whilst at the other end, Kristian Pedersen headed over a long throw.

In stoppage time, Gary Gardner hit a free-kick into the wall and Pedersen again headed off target when well placed, as Leeds United held on to celebrate the club’s centenary with a win.

Full time: Leeds United 1-0 Birmingham City