Birmingham edge Preston to climb to 10th | OneFootball

Match in Five Sentences: Birmingham City beat Preston North End 2-1 to strengthen their mid-table push in the Championship. Jay Stansfield opened the scoring in the 10th minute from close range after Ibrahim Osman's pass. Osman doubled the lead from a corner (16.), before Andrew Hughes replied from close range following a corner (25.). Momentum swung after the break, with Carlos Vicente striking the right post (75.) and James Beadle making four saves as Birmingham held firm. Birmingham rise from 14th to 10th and host Bristol City next, while Preston stay 16th and visit Sheffield United.

Player of the Match: Ibrahim Osman shaped the contest with a goal and an assist in the first half, adding two key passes and five touches in the box before going off injured.

Stat of the Match: James Beadle produced four saves, including three from inside the box, to preserve Birmingham's narrow advantage.

Three Things We Learned: Birmingham's early pairing clicked, with Osman delivering a goal and an assist before the interval. Birmingham made 50 clearances, illustrating how they absorbed pressure as Preston registered 18 attempts with six on target. Liam Lindsay won 15 aerial duels, emphasising Preston's direct approach even as they could not find an equaliser.