Queens Park Rangers 2-1 Birmingham City: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of Queens Park Rangers 2-1 Birmingham City in the Championship on Tuesday, 09 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Queens Park Rangers grabbed a 2-1 win over Birmingham City in a tense Championship clash. The first half saw QPR take the lead when Jimmy Dunne scored in the 40th minute, giving them a deserved edge after a solid spell of pressure that built on their recent run of three wins in four league games. Birmingham, who came into this off the back of mixed results including a couple of defeats, pushed hard but couldn’t find a way through before the break.

The second half ramped up with Birmingham dominating more of the ball, but QPR held firm until the dying minutes when Patrick Roberts equalised for the visitors in the 90+3rd minute. Just when it looked like a draw, Kieran Morgan popped up with a dramatic winner for QPR in the 90+6th minute, sealing back-to-back home victories and boosting their playoff push. Birmingham’s late substitutions couldn’t turn the tide, leaving them ruing missed chances in a game that highlighted their struggles away from home lately.

Birmingham City bossed possession with 63% of the ball compared to QPR’s 37%, showing they controlled much of the play and looked to build patiently, but QPR made the most of their counter-attacking chances. The hosts edged corners 6-3 and successful dribbles 47-38, pointing to their threat on the break and ability to create openings despite less time on the ball, while assists stood at 2-1 in QPR’s favour, underlining their sharper finishing.

Cards were light with QPR picking up two yellows and Birmingham one, suggesting a fairly clean contest without major flashpoints, and no reds or penalties disrupted the flow. Substitutions saw Birmingham use all five, including early changes at half-time like Tommy Doyle replacing Bright Osayi-Samuel and Kyogo Furuhashi coming on for Marvin Ducksch, while QPR made three tweaks such as Karamoko Dembélé replacing Paul Patrick Smyth in the 67th minute to freshen things up late on.

The game turned on a few late twists, starting with Jimmy Dunne’s opener for QPR in the 40th minute, assisted by Koki Saito, which gave the hosts a halftime lead and shifted momentum their way. Birmingham made a double change at the break to try and spark a comeback, but it wasn’t until Patrick Roberts struck in the 90+3rd minute, with help from Demarai Gray, that they levelled things up and looked set for a point.

QPR weren’t done though, as Kieran Morgan, who had come on as a substitute for Amadou Salif Mbengue in the 86th minute, grabbed the winner in the 90+6th minute thanks to Jonathan Varane’s assist, sparking wild celebrations. Yellow cards flew in added time for QPR’s Kieran Morgan and Amadou Salif Mbengue, both at 90+7’, adding to the drama, while Birmingham’s Seung-ho Paik picked up a booking earlier in the 80th minute during their push for control.

Queens Park Rangers lined up in a solid 4-4-2 shape, with Jimmy Dunne anchoring the defence and popping up to score the opener, while Koki Saito provided creativity on the wing before making way for Kwame Poku in the 79th minute. Partnerships like Jonathan Varane linking with Kieran Morgan, who came on late for Amadou Salif Mbengue, proved key in the final moments, and Karamoko Dembélé added fresh legs after replacing Paul Patrick Smyth in the 67th minute to help see out the win.

Birmingham City set out in a 4-2-3-1 formation, relying on players like Patrick Roberts in attack who netted their equaliser, supported by Demarai Gray’s assist in the dying minutes. They made early adjustments with Tommy Doyle replacing Bright Osayi-Samuel and Kyogo Furuhashi coming on for Marvin Ducksch at half-time, while later changes saw Eiran Cashin take over from Jack Robinson and Lyndon Dykes replace Jay Stansfield in the 68th minute, plus Keshi Anderson for Phil Neumann in the 82nd to chase the game.

Coral’s Man of the Match goes to Patrick Roberts, who stood out for Birmingham City with his crucial goal in added time, even if it wasn’t enough for a point. He didn’t rack up assists or big chances created, but his sharp finish and overall threat kept the visitors in the hunt right until the end. Roberts’ performance showed why he’s a key player, stepping up when it mattered most despite the defeat.

Recent Championship matches:

• Win: 2-1 vs Birmingham City (H)
• Win: 3-1 vs West Bromwich Albion (H)
• Loss: 1-3 vs Norwich City (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Blackburn Rovers (A)
• Win: 3-2 vs Hull City (H)

Recent Championship matches:

• Loss: 1-2 vs Queens Park Rangers (A)
• Loss: 1-3 vs Southampton (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Watford (H)
• Draw: 1-1 vs West Bromwich Albion (A)
• Win: 4-1 vs Norwich City (H)

Queens Park Rangers have just edged a 2-1 win over Birmingham City, keeping their strong recent form going with four victories in their last five league outings, including back-to-back home successes. Sitting sixth on 31 points, they’ll be eyeing a push towards the top spots when they face Middlesbrough, who are currently second on 39 points, on 2025-12-13 at 15:00. A result there could really tighten things up in the playoff race and build on their momentum.

Birmingham City have just slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Queens Park Rangers, adding to a patchy run with two straight losses after a win and a draw in their previous games. Currently 10th on 28 points, they’ll look to bounce back against Charlton Athletic, who sit 19th on 23 points, in their next fixture on 2025-12-13 at 15:00. Picking up points here could help them climb back into playoff contention and shake off these recent away struggles.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.