Birmingham City Defeats Sheffield United 2-1 In EFL Cup Clash With Late Goal From Jay Stansfield

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Birmingham City advanced to the second round of the EFL Cup, thanks to Jay Stansfield's late goal, securing a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United. This all-Championship clash on Wednesday saw Birmingham setting up a match against League Two's Port Vale in the next round. The Blues took an early lead when Demari Gray assisted Kyogo Furuhashi for his debut goal after Dovydas Sasnauskas' error.

Despite dominating early on, Birmingham missed chances to extend their lead. Kyogo Furuhashi failed to capitalise on opportunities, leaving the hosts vulnerable. Just before half-time, Sheffield United's Thomas Cannon nearly equalised with a powerful shot that hit the crossbar. However, the Blades eventually levelled in the 72nd minute through Gustavo Hamer's impressive long-range strike.

Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday faced Bolton Wanderers in a thrilling encounter that ended 3-3 after regular time. The match proceeded to penalties, where Pierce Charles made crucial saves against Aaron Morley and Max Conway. Liam Palmer then scored the decisive penalty, securing a 4-2 shootout win for Wednesday. Their reward is a tie against Premier League team Leeds United at Hillsborough during the week starting August 25.

Returning to Birmingham's match, they managed to reverse their fortunes after conceding late against Ipswich Town in their Championship opener. This time, they held firm and secured victory with an expected goals (xG) tally of 3.13 from 20 attempts compared to Sheffield United's mere 0.46 from five shots.

Birmingham City's triumph continued their unbeaten streak against Sheffield United in the EFL Cup. They previously defeated them in the quarter-finals of the 1996-97 season and again in the third round of the 2006-07 campaign. This latest victory adds another chapter to their successful cup history against the Blades.

In this match, Stansfield emerged as a hero by scoring three minutes before full-time with a deflected shot from outside the box. His contribution was crucial in ensuring Birmingham's progression in the competition and maintaining their perfect record against Sheffield United in this tournament.