Hull City celebrated a convincing 2-0 win against Birmingham City with Jaden Philogene delivering a standout performance on the road. Philogene, alongside his England Under-21 teammate Liam Delap, found the back of the net in both halves, marking Hull City’s fourth away win this season and breaking a five-match winless streak in the Championship.
The match didn’t go according to the expected script for Wayne Rooney’s inaugural home game in charge of Birmingham City. Delap capitalized on a defensive error to round the goalkeeper Ruddy and score into an empty net, giving Hull City an early lead. They should have added a second goal shortly after when Scott Twine missed a clear opportunity from 12 yards. Hull City created more chances in the second half and finally extended their lead in the 74th minute when Philogene beautifully curled the ball into the net from outside the box.
Despite the hype surrounding Rooney’s appointment, the atmosphere at St Andrew’s was subdued before the match. Even a display of blue fireworks just before kick-off failed to lift the strange mood. Hull City capitalized on this situation and dominated the game from the first minute, demonstrating one of their classic commanding away performances.
Rosenior made three changes to the lineup compared to their previous home defeat to Southampton. Lewie Coyle, Sean McLoughlin, and Adama Traore entered the starting eleven, while Ruben Vinagre, Cyrus Christie, and Jason Lokilo were relegated to the bench. The matchday squad also welcomed the return of the fit-again Harry Vaughan.
The game’s first shot on target came from Delap’s effort, which was relatively routine for John Ruddy. The home crowd, despite Rooney’s arrival, was quiet. The crowd was taken aback when the City forward seized a loose backpass from Longelo, rounded Ruddy, and slotted the ball into the net from a tight angle, putting Hull City ahead.
Moments later, Hull City had a golden opportunity to double their lead. Twine was about to enter the box, but Kevin Long made a terrific tackle with his outstretched leg, thwarting the chance. A couple of minutes later, Delap set Twine up 12 yards from the penalty spot, but Twine inexplicably took an extra touch and stumbled, wasting the opportunity.
Birmingham City came close to equalizing when Bacuna fired one over the bar from close range. Hull City nearly made a costly error when Allsop gave the ball away inside his own box, but he made a crucial save to deny Emmanuel Longelo.
Hull City consistently posed a threat with their ability to steal possession in the final third. Philogene’s powerful shot narrowly missed the target as the frustrated home crowd voiced their discontent, leading to a chorus of boos from the Birmingham fans at halftime.
Birmingham City began the second half positively, and Bacuna’s effort seemed destined for the goal until Greaves blocked it. Amid the growing pressure, Philogene and Delap missed opportunities to score Hull City’s second goal.
Delap was fouled by Long and then reacted by pushing him, leading to both players receiving yellow cards. Hull City’s first substitution occurred around the 60-minute mark, with Greg Docherty replacing Traore. Shortly after, Lukas Jutkiewicz was introduced for Birmingham, replacing Jay Stansfield, followed by Jordan James and Gary Gardner. Eventually, Hull City extended their lead in a spectacular fashion.
Philogene, once again cutting in from the flank, struck an impressive shot past Ruddy with 16 minutes remaining. Shortly thereafter, Jason Lokilo replaced Morton. Hull City created more opportunities, with Lokilo’s shot saved by Ruddy, and Philogene was substituted for Cyrus Christie in the closing stages. Hull City managed to secure a well-deserved away victory and a clean sheet.
Now, the challenge for Rosenior and his Hull City players is to carry this momentum into their upcoming home match on Saturday and put an end to their poor MKM Stadium run.
Attendance: 19,530 (694 away fans)
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