Match ends, Birmingham City 3, Sunderland 1.
Birmingham City 3-1 Sunderland
- From the section Championship
Birmingham City beat fellow strugglers Sunderland to move out of the Championship relegation zone.
David Davis gave the Blues the lead when he squeezed a finish past Robbin Ruiter at his near post.
Jeremie Boga headed Jacques Maghoma's cross into the bottom corner to make it 2-0 before half-time and Davis squared for Sam Gallagher to tap in a third.
Bryan Oviedo volleyed in a late consolation but the Blues' seventh win of the season moved them up to 20th.
Birmingham came into the match as the lowest scorers in the entire Football League, with just 16 goals scored in 28 Championship fixtures, but they dominated from the outset.
Steve Cotterill's side were rewarded for their attacking intent as they scored more than one goal for just the third time in the league this season - and managed three for the first time in the Championship since beating Rotherham 4-2 in October 2016.
Birmingham's front trio of Gallagher, Maghoma and Boga caused Sunderland's defence all sorts of problems and could have scored more, with Southampton loanee Gallagher twice going close to adding to his five goals in his past seven league games.
The Black Cats brightened up late on with the introduction of new signing Kazenga LuaLua from the bench, but they left it too late and slip a place to 23rd.
Birmingham boss Steve Cotterill told BBC WM:
"It was a big night, the result could have been better, I think we got a little bit sloppy towards the end.
"I can't have too many complaints with the boys really, we played very well and got ourselves three in front, but the last goal is a slight disappointment for us.
"Our standards of late have been very good so that's a slight disappointment for us really, because normally defending is something we're quite good at that."
Sunderland manager Chris Coleman:
"It's unacceptable, that's the word. We can't even begin to accept that.
"All over the pitch for an hour we were second best. I don't get it. These games are cup finals for us.
"You win and you lose but it was the manner of the first hour, which was surprising considering where we are and who we were playing."
Line-ups
Birmingham
- 13Stockdale
- 5Colin
- 4Roberts
- 12Dean
- 3GroundsBooked at 87mins
- 17NdoyeBooked at 52mins
- 6Kieftenbeld
- 19MaghomaSubstituted forJotaat 61'minutes
- 26DavisBooked at 59minsSubstituted forAdamsat 81'minutes
- 20Boga
- 18GallagherSubstituted forJutkiewiczat 84'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Gardner
- 10Jutkiewicz
- 14Adams
- 21Lowe
- 27Jota
- 28Morrison
- 39Trueman
Sunderland
- 25Ruiter
- 18Browning
- 23Koné
- 35Clarke-SalterBooked at 47minsSubstituted forMcGeadyat 65'minutes
- 21Matthews
- 6Cattermole
- 28RobsonBooked at 58mins
- 3Oviedo
- 26HoneymanBooked at 78mins
- 29AsoroSubstituted forGoochat 84'minutes
- 20MajaSubstituted forLua Luaat 60'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Steele
- 7Williams
- 11Lua Lua
- 15Galloway
- 19McGeady
- 22Love
- 27Gooch
- Referee:
- Darren Bond
- Attendance:
- 19,601
Match Stats
Home TeamBirminghamAway TeamSunderland
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away4
- Corners
- Home3
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away9
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Birmingham City 3, Sunderland 1.
Attempt blocked. Ethan Robson (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kazenga Lua Lua.
Lynden Gooch (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Jota (Birmingham City).
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by David Stockdale.
Attempt saved. Lee Cattermole (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Tyias Browning (Sunderland) because of an injury.
Foul by Tyias Browning (Sunderland).
Lukas Jutkiewicz (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Kazenga Lua Lua (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Bryan Oviedo following a set piece situation.
Attempt saved. Aiden McGeady (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Aiden McGeady (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Che Adams (Birmingham City).
Booking
Jonathan Grounds (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
George Honeyman (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Jonathan Grounds (Birmingham City).
Attempt blocked. Aiden McGeady (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lynden Gooch.
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Lynden Gooch replaces Joel Asoro.
Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Lukas Jutkiewicz replaces Sam Gallagher.
Goal!
Goal! Birmingham City 3, Sunderland 1. Bryan Oviedo (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by George Honeyman with a cross.
Attempt saved. Kazenga Lua Lua (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ethan Robson.
Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Che Adams replaces David Davis because of an injury.
Foul by Marc Roberts (Birmingham City).
Kazenga Lua Lua (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Bryan Oviedo (Sunderland) hits the left post with a left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box. Assisted by Aiden McGeady with a cross.
Booking
George Honeyman (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Jeremie Boga (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by George Honeyman (Sunderland).
Attempt blocked. Joel Asoro (Sunderland) with an attempt from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ethan Robson with a cross.
Attempt blocked. Joel Asoro (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bryan Oviedo.
Attempt blocked. Kazenga Lua Lua (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bryan Oviedo with a headed pass.
Attempt missed. Aiden McGeady (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Bryan Oviedo following a set piece situation.
Foul by Cheikh Ndoye (Birmingham City).
Kazenga Lua Lua (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Jeremie Boga (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Sam Gallagher.
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Bryan Oviedo.
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Aiden McGeady replaces Jake Clarke-Salter.
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Marc Roberts.
