Todd Cantwell's 69th-minute goal gave Blackburn Rovers a precious 1-0 win at Birmingham City and a major lift in the fight to stay clear of the relegation places. In a match that offered chances to both teams, Blackburn found the decisive finish through their midfielder after Ryoya Morishita's good work, claiming a fourth victory in Michael O'Neill's nine games in charge and moving six points clear of danger.
Birmingham contributed heavily to an entertaining game and came close several times, most notably when Ibrahim Osman struck the post from Patrick Roberts's cross before the break. Paik Seung-ho and Tommy Doyle also tested Balazs Toth, while James Beadle made important saves of his own at the other end. But the hosts could not find a reply once Cantwell scored, and the final whistle was met by boos from home fans as Birmingham stayed 14th, 11 points adrift of the play-off places.
A Fast Start Grew Into a Wide-Open Half
Birmingham began with purpose. Jay Stansfield and Marvin Ducksch nearly combined for an early breakthrough when Stansfield picked out Ducksch, whose header was held by Toth. The home side's sharp opening, however, did not discourage Blackburn, who gradually settled and began to find their own attacking rhythm.