Huddersfield 1-1 Birmingham City: Blues on the brink after Miyoshi goal cancelled out

Ratings from Huddersfield

Birmingham City need a dramatic turnaround on the final day to avoid relegation after failing to beat Huddersfield Town at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Koji Miyoshi’s goal was cancelled out just after half-time by Rhys Healey and Blues couldn’t react. Results elsewhere effectively relegated Huddersfield and Blues will need to beat Norwich City on the final day and pray someone does them a favour.

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It's all over

Blues have to settle for a point. They need to win next week and pray results elsewhere go for them now. Huddersfield are effectively relegated due to their goal difference.

Four minutes to play

Four minutes of stoppage time for Blues to find a winner. Huddersfield are desperate, too. They will go down today as things stand.

Rowett makes three changes

It's Lukas Jutkiewicz time. Jutkiewicz, Marc Roberts and Alex Pritchard are all introduced.

Sunjic, Anderson and Miyoshi are all replaced. 15 minutes to go and Blues are going for it.

Pritchard is taking a lot of flak from the home fans. He clearly isn't fondly remembered here.

Siriki Dembele is on

Rowett has turned to Siriki Dembele. The attacker - who scored twice against the Terriers in October - replaces Bacuna.

Stansfield was an inch away from restoring Blues' lead a few minutes ago. Miyoshi flicked it through and Stansfield's effort from the angle was so, so close.

First Huddersfield change

First change of the afternoon for Huddersfield sees Sorba Thomas replace Koroma.

There was a lot of surprise to see Thomas dropped from Huddersfield's XI and his arrival has been greeted by a huge roar of approval. Blues need to stop the flow of Huddersfield attacks.

Huddersfield are level

What did I just say? Blues haven't even been able to keep Huddersfield out for two minutes.

Huddersfield have equalised. Rudoni pulled it back and Healey finished. The Terriers have their tails up now...

Back underway

Blues made their hosts wait to begin the second half. The visitors emerged from the dressing room a good five minutes after Huddersfield.

The stadium announcer has been doing his best to drum up some atmosphere in the home end. Blues must make sure they don't offer Huddersfield any encouragement in the opening exchanges of the second half.

HT: Huddersfield 0-1 Blues

Blues are halfway there. Miyoshi's goal is the difference between the two teams at the break.

The goal isn't enough to lift Blues out of the relegation zone as things stand, but that is out of their control. They need to make sure they get three points and hope someone else does them a favour.

Blues take the lead!

Koji Miyoshi with a lovely finish!

Superb wing play by Anderson to beat his man and cross to the far post where Miyoshi steered the ball home with his right foot. Elation for Blues right at the end of the first half.

Buchanan booked

Lee Buchanan becomes the first player to go into the book. The left-back has struggled up against the lively Rudoni and a late challenge on the Huddersfield number eight forces referee Matthew Donohue to brandish a card.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Norwich have drawn level against Swansea and Bristol City have taken the lead against already relegated Rotherham United.

Big let off for Blues

There was pinball inside the Blues penalty area before the ball dropped to Rudoni on the penalty spot. His volley flashed just wide with John Ruddy rooted to the spot.

Huddersfield have carried a threat in these opening exchanges and Blues are currently trying to stem the flow of attacks.

Bacuna has just headed wide for Blues at a corner. He met Paik's second delivery in quick succession.

Update from Hillsborough

Sheffield Wednesday have taken the lead against West Bromwich Albion. Anthony Musaba has scored in the 22nd minute at Hillsborough.

Elsewhere, Swansea are beating Norwich City 1-0 at Carrow Road. Blues play Norwich in their final match next weekend.

Anderson fires wide

First chance goes to Blues. Stansfield and Miyoshi cleverly work the ball to Anderson but he drags a shot wide from eight yards. He had to hit the target.

Blues have stepped into Huddersfield's half in the last few minutes. They have been positive and on the front foot. The backing from those in the away end has been exceptional.

And we're off

The game has kicked off at the John Smith's Stadium. Despite all the nerves inside the stadium, there is a raucous atmosphere developing.

All the executives, including Garry Cook and Craig Gardner, have taken their seats in front of us. Ethan Laird has tried to rev up the 2,336 Blues fans behind the goal his team are defending in this first half.

Time to deliver.

Back in black

Blues will wear their all black third strip at the John Smith's Stadium today. Both teams are out completing their warm ups.

Paul Robinson and Ashley Cole are drilling the starting XI, while the substitutes go through their own warm ups. It's great to see Lukas Jutkiewicz back out there ready to fight for the cause.

Rowett said: “Jukey epitomises what you need at this stage of the season. As he has done so many times, he just wants to get out there. He’s running around with more tape on him than I’ve ever seen in my life.

“He is going to do his best to be available. I think that’s really inspirational. That’s what you need to look at at this stage of the season, someone who has had to do it so many times but just cannot do it any other way than be incredibly professional."

Huddersfield team news

Huddersfield’s line-up includes three changes from their 4-0 defeat to Swansea City last time out. Ollie Turton, Danny Ward and Rhys Healey come into the team for the injured Tom Lees, Sorba Thomas and Delano Burgzorg.

The Terriers’ threat is likely to come through Michal Helik at set pieces. Their captain has scored nine goals this season from centre-back.

(4-2-3-1): Nicholls; Turton, Pearson, Helik, Spencer; Kasumu, Matos; Healey, Rudoni, Koroma; Ward

Subs: Maxwell, Burgzorg, Radulovic, Thomas, Headley, Edwards, Wiles, Jackson, Iorpenda

Blues make two changes

Gary Rowett has made two changes to the Birmingham City XI. Juninho Bacuna starts against his former club and Koji Miyoshi also returns after being benched last weekend.

Tyler Roberts and Oliver Burke drop out of the team. Lukas Jutkiewicz makes the bench after six weeks out with a knee injury. There is also a place in the squad for another former Terrier, Alex Pritchard.

(4-2-3-1): Ruddy; Laird, Bielik, Sanderson, Buchanan; Sunjic, Paik; Miyoshi, Bacuna, Anderson; Stansfield

Subs: Etheridge, M Roberts, Gardner, James, Pritchard, Hall, T Roberts, Dembele, Jutkiewicz

The permutations

I have spent my week agonising over the points Blues require to avoid relegation. There are lots of different scenarios that could play out today and next weekend.

Huddersfield, Blues, Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth and Blackburn Rovers are all still embroiled in this relegation scrap.

Check out the permutations HERE

How will Blues line up?

We're just over half an hour away from team news. Gary Rowett admitted to making a mistake with his selection of Oliver Burke against Rotherham last week, he can't afford to get this one wrong today.

Burke is out with a hamstring injury so there will be at least one change to the line-up. Siriki Dembele, Juninho Bacuna and Koji Miyoshi are all contenders to come into the XI.

My colleague Brian Dick and I named our XIs on Thursday - check them out HERE

Hello and welcome

Good afternoon from the John Smith's Stadium. No one needs reminding of what's at stake today. The game is a must-win clash for both teams.

Both teams start the day inside the relegation zone. Blues are marginally better off than Huddersfield with 46 points, compared to the Terriers' 44.

Huddersfield (a)

The last and most important away game of the season. #BCFC #KRO pic.twitter.com/CLmDB0nnxH

— Alex Dicken (@alexedicken) April 27, 2024