Gray and Paik Fire Birmingham Past Watford in Championship Thriller
Key Takeaways
- Birmingham City secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Watford at St. Andrew's
- Paik Seung-Ho's stunning long-range opener set the tone for Blues dominance
- Demarai Gray's counter-attack masterpiece doubled Birmingham's first-half advantage before break
- Othmane Maamma's second-half strike sparked nervy finale but couldn't prevent defeat
Birmingham City secured a vital 2-1 victory over Watford at St. Andrew's Stadium, with first-half strikes from Paik Seung-Ho and Demarai Gray proving decisive in a pulsating Championship encounter. The Blues weathered a late Watford fightback to claim three precious points that could prove crucial in their season ambitions.
The match exploded into life in the 31st minute when Paik Seung-Ho unleashed a thunderous right-footed drive from outside the box that arrowed into the bottom right corner, leaving Nathan Baxter with no chance. The South Korean midfielder's spectacular opener sent the home crowd into raptures and established Birmingham's early dominance. Gray then doubled the advantage in the 43rd minute with a moment of individual brilliance, collecting Jay Stansfield's assist following a lightning-fast counter-attack before curling a sublime right-footed effort from the left side of the box into the top right corner.
The tactical battle intensified after the break as Watford threw everything forward in search of a route back into the contest. James Beadle emerged as Birmingham's hero between the posts, producing a crucial save in the 49th minute to deny Marc Bola's well-struck effort from the left side of the box. The goalkeeper's reflexes kept Birmingham's two-goal cushion intact during a period of sustained Watford pressure.
Despite Watford edging possession at 50.6%, Birmingham proved more clinical with their opportunities, registering five shots on target compared to the visitors' four. The Blues' defensive resilience was tested as they conceded six corners to Watford's relentless attacking waves, but Phil Neumann and Christoph Klarer stood firm at the heart of their backline.
The turning point arrived in the 61st minute when Othmane Maamma finally breached Birmingham's resistance, converting Marc Bola's assist with a composed left-footed finish from the centre of the box. The goal transformed the atmosphere and set up a nervy final half-hour, with Tommy Doyle and Patrick Roberts both picking up yellow cards as tensions boiled over during the closing stages.
Birmingham will look to build on this momentum when they face their next Championship opponents, while Watford must regroup quickly ahead of their upcoming fixture as they seek to bounce back from this disappointing defeat.