Hull City saw their Championship play‑off ambitions take a hit when Birmingham City rallied to secure a 1-1 draw at the MKM Stadium, thanks to a dramatic equaliser from Japanese midfielder Tomoki Iwata. The Tigers had appeared poised to claim all three points after Joe Gelhardt, on loan from Leeds United, netted his 14th goal of the campaign midway through the first half. Gelhardt's strike, a left‑footed drive from about 15 yards that took a sharp deflection off defender Phil Neumann, gave Hull a comfortable lead and seemed to cement their grip on sixth place. However, Iwata’s long‑range effort, struck from roughly 25 yards, swooped into the top corner with only thirteen minutes remaining, erasing the advantage and leaving the match level.
Hull’s chance to seal the win evaporated in stoppage time when defender Semi Ajayi missed a close‑range opportunity, blasting his shot wide as the clock ticked down. The missed chance proved costly, as Birmingham held on to claim a point that keeps them within two points of Hull in the table, with both clubs having three fixtures left to complete their season. The result marks Hull’s fourth league game without a victory – their poorest run of the season – and it also ends their brief resurgence after breaking Birmingham’s long unbeaten home run earlier in the campaign. That earlier encounter, a stormy 3-2 win at St Andrew’s in October, had raised hopes of a league double over Chris Davies’ mid‑table side.
In that match, Liam Millar had initiated the opening move down the left flank. After Canadian winger Carlos Vicente dispossessed a Birmingham attacker in the penalty area, the ball fell kindly to Gelhardt, who turned and fired a low, angled shot into the bottom corner, aided by a significant deflection off Neumann.
In the current game, after taking the lead, Hull nearly doubled their advantage shortly after the half‑hour mark. Birmingham’s England Under‑21 keeper James Beadle came out to claim a long throw from Mohamed Belloumi but failed to secure the ball, and the ensuing scramble saw the on‑loan Brighton keeper quickly recover, making a crucial save from Oli McBurnie’s close‑range effort. Birmingham’s attacking threat remained muted for most of the first half, with their first genuine chance coming just before halftime when Ibrahim Osman headed Jay Stansfield’s right‑wing cross wide of the target.
The second half followed a similar script. Hull dominated possession, while Birmingham looked to hit on the counter‑attack.
Substitute Demarai Gray forced a low, powerful shot from distance that required a smart save from Hull goalkeeper Ivor Pandur. As the game entered its final stages, Hull failed to clear a dangerous ball into the safety of the midfield, giving Iwata the space and time to unleash a memorable third‑season goal from 25 yards. The Japanese international’s strike, struck with precision and pace, left the Birmingham goalkeeper with no chance and sent the home crowd into disbelief.
Ajayi’s subsequent miss and a last‑minute save by Beadle from a McBurnie free‑kick sealed Birmingham’s comeback, snapping their four‑game road losing streak. After the final whistle, Hull manager Sergej Jakirović reflected on the disappointment, noting, "We know we have dropped points from winning positions. We didn’t play our best today, which makes everything very tight.
We have to be brave with three games left and try to win each one. Injuries have limited our selections, but we must find a way to secure three points in each of the remaining fixtures." Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised his side’s resilience, saying, "We deserved the point and showed character to stay in the game after going behind. Our pressing limited their possession and we earned our goal. The pitch was dry and didn’t favour slick passing, but Tomoki did very well for his goal – he sprinted into position, his shot hit the top corner at incredible speed." The draw leaves Hull two points ahead of Wrexham in seventh place, with both clubs still holding three matches to play.
The battle for the final play‑off spots remains intense, and every point will be crucial as the season draws to a close. Hull will look to regroup and address their injury issues, while Birmingham will aim to build on the momentum of stopping their losing run and climb further up the table. Off the pitch, fans are reminded that the £250,000 Super 6 prize is still up for grabs, with entries closing at 3 pm on Saturday.
The competition remains free to play, offering an extra incentive for supporters to stay engaged as the Championship drama continues to unfold.