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 seemed poised to collect all three points and solidify their hold on sixth place after Joe Gelhardt, on loan from Leeds United, opened the scoring with his 14th goal of the campaign midway through the first half. Gelhardt’s strike appeared to set the tone for a comfortable win, but Iwata’s long‑range effort, struck from the edge of the box, flew into the top corner with just 13 minutes remaining, erasing Hull’s lead and forcing a share of the spoils.
In the dying moments of the match, Hull thought they might snatch a winner when defender Semi Ajayi unleashed a close‑range shot that drifted just wide of the post, missing a chance to clinch all three points as stoppage time loomed. The draw marks Hull’s fourth league game without a victory, their poorest run of the season, and leaves Sergej Jakirović’s side two points clear of Wrexham, who sit in seventh, with both clubs having three fixtures left to complete.
The backdrop to this encounter includes Hull’s earlier triumph over Birmingham in October, when they ended the Blues’ long unbeaten home run with a 3-2 win at St Andrew’s. In that storm‑hit game, Gelhardt’s 24th‑minute goal gave Hull hope of a league double over Chris Davies’ mid‑table side.
The opening goal in the current match came after Liam Millar delivered a swift move down the left flank. The Canadian winger was dispossessed by Birmingham defender Carlos Vicente inside the penalty area, and the loose ball fell kindly to Gelhardt. He turned and fired a left‑footed strike from about 15 yards, the ball finding the net after a significant deflection off defender Phil Neumann, leaving the home crowd in rapturous celebration.
After taking the lead, Hull pressed for a second, and the hosts came close to doubling their advantage shortly after the half‑hour mark. However, Birmingham’s England Under‑21 keeper James Beadle was initially unsettled by a long throw from Mohamed Belloumi into the six‑yard box.
He quickly recovered, making a crucial save from Oli McBurnie’s close‑range attempt, keeping the score at 1-0. Birmingham struggled to create clear chances in the first half, remaining largely anonymous in attack until the final minutes before the break.
Ibrahim Osman rose to meet a cross from Jay Stansfield on the right, but his header drifted off target. The second half mirrored the first, with Hull dominating possession and the visitors looking to hit on the counter.
Substitute Demarai Gray forced a low, well‑placed shot from Ivor Pandur, which required a smart save from the Birmingham goalkeeper. Hull’s defensive lapse proved costly when they failed to clear a ball into safety, allowing Iwata the space and time to unleash a spectacular third‑year goal from 25 yards. The Japanese international’s shot was a textbook example of technique and power, curling into the top corner and leaving the Birmingham keeper with no chance.
Shortly after, Ajayi’s miss from close range gave the home side a brief glimmer of hope, but Beadle’s excellent reflex save from a late McBurnie free‑kick preserved the draw and snapped Birmingham’s four‑game away‑loss streak. After the final whistle, Hull manager Sergej Jakirović reflected on the disappointment: "We know dropping those 21 points from winning positions hurts.
We didn’t produce our best football today, which makes the situation very tight. We have to be brave with three games left and try to win each point.
All three of us—Wrexham and Derby—have two away games, so we’ll see who can be the most successful. Injuries have given us a headache in team selection, but we must do everything possible to secure three points in each of the remaining fixtures." Birmingham boss Chris Davies praised his side’s resilience: "We deserved a point, and if anyone could have taken it, it was us. I was encouraged by the performance. The team showed commitment, resilience and character to stay in the game after going behind.
We created good early chances but failed to capitalise. From our perspective there was more good than bad. Conceding their goal was disappointing because it was a soft one.
Our pressing limited their possession, and we earned our goal when it came. It was a low‑chance game for strikers on both sides. The pitch was dry and not conducive to slick passing football. Tomoki did very well for the goal; he sprinted into position, earned his luck when the ball dropped, and struck it into the top corner at what felt like about 100 miles an hour!" The match also featured promotional content for Sky Sports and a £250,000 Super 6 prize, highlighting the ongoing engagement between fans and the league’s digital platforms.
Overall, the draw leaves Hull City in a precarious position as they chase a play‑off spot, while Birmingham can take solace in salvaging a point away from home, ending a run of four consecutive road defeats. Both teams now turn their focus to the remaining fixtures, where every point will be crucial in the final stretch of the Championship season.