In a thrilling match at St. Andrew's, Birmingham broke their 13-match winless streak with a 2-1 victory over Preston. The matchwinner, Ibrahim Osman, had a bittersweet night as he made the first goal for Jay Stansfield, scored the second himself, and then went off injured before half-time. Andrew Hughes narrowed the deficit for Preston, but Birmingham held on to claim the three points.
The first goal came in the 10th minute when Stansfield redirected Osman's goal-bound shot past goalkeeper Daniel Iversen. This goal marked Stansfield's 10th Championship strike of the season, ending his 13-match drought in all competitions. Osman then made it 2-0 six minutes later with a curled effort from a similar position, after beating Jordan Thompson and leaving Liam Lindsay grounded.
Hughes halved the deficit for Preston, but the visitors were unable to capitalize on their chances in the second half. Despite creating several opportunities, Preston were thwarted by Birmingham's defense, and the home team held on to secure the win. The victory propelled Birmingham into the top 10, while Preston's loss left them still searching for consistency. After the match, Birmingham's Chris Davies praised Osman's performance, stating that he is built for the Premier League level and has the physicality, speed, and power required to succeed at that level.
Davies also expressed his desire for Osman to return to the team next season, but acknowledged that there are many factors at play. Preston's Paul Heckingbottom, on the other hand, was frustrated with the goals his team conceded and their inability to take advantage of their opportunities, but was pleased with the team's desire and intent in the second half.