Marvin Ducksch and Kyogo Furuhashi netted Birmingham City’s goals in the win at Sheffield Wednesday
07:00, 21 Jan 2026Updated 07:21, 21 Jan 2026
Sheffield Wednesday’s Charlie McNeill and Birmingham City’s Jhon Solis battle for the ball (Image: )
Birmingham City pounded the rock at Hillsborough on Tuesday night until Sheffield Wednesday broke.
Marvin Ducksch scored the decisive goal in the 83rd minute, guiding home Jay Stansfield’s shot in front of a raucous away end, before Kyogo Furuhashi gifted himself a birthday goal in stoppage time.
It was Blues’ first away victory in the Championship in three months and took their points tally to seven in their last three games.
Here are our talking points from Sheffield Wednesday…
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A shot in the arm on the road
There has been a fragility to Blues during their away matches this season and you could see how tense their play was in the first half at Hillsborough.
Blues had little to gain because they were expected to beat a depleted Wednesday side that is destined for League One. You sense that anything other than the hard-fought victory Blues got would have been a blow to the system.
“I think it’s big and we’ll take a lot from it,” said Chris Davies. “I go back to the Cambridge game, it was one I felt was really important to win.
“It was the FA Cup, people can say they’re in League Two and you should beat them, but you can slip up and that can affect your confidence but we’ve gone there and travelled back with a win.
“That was our first (away) win for a while, then we go to Swansea and dig in to get something, then we come here. To win two of those away games and score six goals, I’m really pleased.”
Strikers shine as Priske watches on
Ducksch and Kyogo played like strikers with a point to prove on the day their club announced the signing of a coveted centre-forward.
German Ducksch is the man in possession of the shirt and, now playing just off Stansfield, he is starting to thrive. Four goals in four games, accompanied by wholehearted displays, has increased Ducksch’s importance and popularity with supporters.
Kyogo has always had the hearts of Blues fans who have been willing him to find the net. A first Championship goal comes at the perfect time.
It would be ideal if Ducksch and Kyogo took the pressure off 21-year-old August Priske by scoring and performing.
Marvin Ducksch of Birmingham City celebrates scoring(Image: Getty Images)
Jhon Solis made a difference
Another thing Blues have been lacking – and it’s been costly away from St Andrew’s – is physicality in the middle of the park. Jhon Solis provided that in a 23-minute cameo off the bench.
Solis injected urgency into Blues’ play by moving the ball quickly and showed his ball-winning skills during one tussle with Charlie McNeil in which the Wednesday forward looked beaten before he tried to unsuccessfully outwit the Colombian.
Having long legs in midfield is an underrated quality. It allowed Solis to land on loose balls and stop passes from drifting by him.
It was only a first impression, but it was a positive one from Solis.
“I thought he did well,” Davies commented. “He got onto the second balls well and used his body, won a few duels and tackles. You can see he’s a big size but he can play and pass the ball, but what I want him to do is use his physicality in midfield. In the Championship you have to be strong there. That’s his first test of it so he will grow.”
Ibrahim Osman issue needs resolving
Have we watched Lewis Koumas’s final game in Royal Blue?
The on-loan Liverpool man was given the nod to start his fourth straight match, despite the signing of Ibrahim Osman.
Osman was the spare loanee with Davies only able to name five of Blues’ six in the match day squad.
You would expect Osman to take his place on Saturday when Stoke City come to town which means one of two things, possibly both: Patrick Roberts has signed permanently or Koumas has been recalled by Liverpool.
It is becoming difficult to see how the latter doesn’t happen with Osman in the building and Demarai Gray nearing fitness.
Davies didn’t give much away when asked how he intends to correct the problem – but it will surely be done before Saturday.
He said: “That is something we will have to look at because you can only have the five of them. We’ll work on that.”
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