Birmingham City edged out Burton Albion 1-0 in a closely contested International Club Friendly at the Pirelli Stadium on 23 July 2026. The Championship side's goal came in the first half through midfielder Jordan James, and they held on despite a spirited second-half response from the League One hosts.

Match Overview

Both teams used this pre-season friendly to fine-tune tactics and build fitness. Birmingham, under new manager Chris Davies, fielded a mix of senior players and academy prospects. Burton, led by Mark Robinson, were competitive throughout and had several chances to equalise in the second half.

Key Moments

• 24th minute: Jordan James broke the deadlock with a low drive from the edge of the box after a neat pass from Keshi Anderson.
• 42nd minute: Burton's Ciaran Gilligan saw his header cleared off the line by Dion Sanderson.
• 55th minute: Birmingham goalkeeper Marc Roos made a sharp save to deny John Brayford from close range.
• 71st minute: Burton's Max Biamou struck the post with a curling effort as the hosts pushed for an equaliser.

Tactical Story

Birmingham City started in a 4-2-3-1 formation, looking to control midfield through the pairing of Paik Seung-ho and Tomoki Iwata. Their early goal came from patient build-up play. In the second half, Burton switched to a 3-5-2, which gave them more attacking width and forced Birmingham to defend deeper. The Championship side's defensive resilience proved key, with center-back Dion Sanderson winning several aerial duels.

Standout Players

• Jordan James (Birmingham City): The Wales international scored the only goal and was lively in the final third.
• Ciaran Gilligan (Burton Albion): The midfielder covered every blade of grass and was unlucky not to score.

Friendly Context

The result gives Birmingham a confidence boost ahead of their Championship opener against Plymouth Argyle. Burton Albion, who narrowly missed the League One playoffs last season, will look to tighten their finishing before their league campaign begins against Fleetwood Town.