Middlesbrough managed to snatch a point in the Sky Bet Championship thanks to a last‑minute equaliser from defender Adilson Malanda, finishing the encounter in a 2‑2 stalemate at Birmingham City’s St Andrew's. The crucial goal came after a costly handling mistake by Birmingham keeper James Beadle, who had appeared to have secured the win for the home side after they had rallied from an early deficit. The Blues got off to a promising start, generating a few early chances that threatened to put them ahead.
The opening opportunity arrived in the fourth minute when Jhon Solis was dispossessed by Malanda, only for Tomoki Iwata to win the ball back and feed Solis. The Colombian striker turned sharply and unleashed a shot that drifted just wide of the post. Fourteen minutes later Birmingham launched a swift counter‑attack, moving the ball from one end of the pitch to the other before freeing Carlos Vicente on the right flank. Vicente’s back‑heel found Bright Osayi‑Samuel, whose pass was collected by Argentine forward Luis Vázquez.
Vázquez, still reeling from a missed chance against Derby the previous weekend, managed to get his head on target, but his effort was blocked at the near post by Radek Vitek, who tipped the ball over the bar. Middlesbrough began to find their rhythm as the first half progressed, largely due to the impact of loanee Amario Cozier‑Duberry from Brighton. Cozier‑Duberry caused Birmingham defensive lapses down the right wing, repeatedly testing the home side’s back line.
He came close to opening his account nine minutes before the break when Myles Peart‑Harris supplied him with a neat pull‑back; however, the young midfielder’s effort was lofted harmlessly over the cross‑bar. The 21‑year‑old’s influence only grew as the half wore on. In the 45th minute, Malanda delivered a sweeping diagonal ball into the box, finding Cozier‑Duberry, who skillfully weaved his way into the danger area and set up Max Arfsten.
The American striker struck first‑time, driving the ball into the top corner and giving Middlesbrough a 1‑0 lead just before the interval. After the restart, Birmingham responded swiftly.
Ten minutes into the second half, a turnover saw Malanda lose possession to Iwata, who quickly released Solis into the box. Solis appeared to be running out of space, but Liam Millar surged forward and smashed home his first goal for the Blues, restoring parity at 1‑1.
Four minutes later Birmingham took the lead again. Millar’s deep cross was flicked back into the six‑yard box by Jay Stansfield, where the ball ricocheted off several bodies before finally finding Riley McGree, who tapped it home to make it 2‑1 in favour of the hosts. Birmingham continued to press, with Iwata coming close to extending the lead when he rose at the near post and glanced a Millar cross just over the bar with twenty minutes remaining. Middlesbrough, sensing the need for fresh impetus, introduced attacking options Tommy Conway, Kyle Joseph and Jeremy Sarmiento.
The substitutions injected energy and forced Birmingham onto the back foot. The pressure paid dividends in the dying moments of the game.
With just two minutes left, Sebastian Berhalter curled an inswinging free‑kick into the box. The delivery seemed destined for the back of the net, but Beadle appeared to have smothered it comfortably. In a dramatic turn, the goalkeeper mishandled the ball just four yards from goal. While Joseph was unable to finish the rebound, Malanda pounced on the loose ball and slotted it home, sending the travelling supporters home jubilant as the match finished 2‑2.
Post‑match, Birmingham manager Chris Davies commented on the incident: "The players are telling me they thought he had both hands on the ball. I haven’t seen the slow‑motion replay yet, but if he did use two hands it would be scandalous.
It was a terrible way to concede from a set‑piece – the ball was whipped in, bounced once and went in. James has saved us many times this season and he’s been fantastic, but these things happen.
He’s disappointed, but overall he’s had a great season." Middlesbrough’s head coach Kim Hellberg reflected on his side’s performance: "Everyone knows we need to concede fewer goals – even my mum at home can see that. In today’s game we gave away a massive number of set‑pieces because we dove into tackles and lost possession.
We also gave away throw‑ins that could have been cleared 50 yards up the field instead of feeding the box. It frustrates me. We need to manage those spells better, understand game management and learn how to survive difficult periods without gifting the opposition chances. There are things to improve, but there are also many positives and a lot of praise for the players." Overall, the match was a roller‑coaster of momentum swings, with both teams showing attacking intent and defensive frailties.
Middlesbrough’s resilience in the final minutes earned them a valuable point, while Birmingham will look to tighten up set‑piece defending and maintain concentration after the late scare. The draw keeps both clubs in the hunt for promotion spots as the Championship season pushes on.
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