If only Adam Armstrong, the Wolves striker presented with a golden chance in the 87th minute, had shot into the same corner of the net at the Railway End that his teammate Jackson Tchatchoua had located when scoring one of the most memorable own goals at the end of the first half, then César Peixoto’s team would surely now be second in the Championship.
Instead Armstrong, one of the Football League’s most proven goalscorers, lifted his shot over an open goal from 10 yards when played in by Fer López at the end of this implausibly open derby. Ultimately, Birmingham deserved to extend their unbeaten start to the league season.
After their 4-2 defeat at West Ham on Tuesday, Wolves look as vulnerable defensively as they can be devastating going forward. Only Burnley, relegated with them last season, have conceded more than their 10 goals.
Tom Wagner, the Birmingham chairman, was back in the St Andrew’s directors’ box for the first time since a stroke in early February and was treated to a thrilling game. Spoils were shared but Chris Davies was happy with his side after they twice came from behind. “I’ll always be content when the players put in that heart and spirit,” the Birmingham manager said. “When you look at the quality of their team, I’ll be astonished if they’re not in the top four. Second half, we put them to the sword.”
López scored in the third minute for Wolves and, after Jay Stansfield equalised in controversial circumstances, Ladislav Krejci gave the visitors the lead again. But then came the moment that could haunt Tchatchoua for the rest of his career. The Cameroon right-back was under no pressure as he went to turn a long diagonal from Phil Neumann back towards his goalkeeper – but instead looped the ball wide and over José Sá into his own goal.
It was the moment that set the tempo for the rest of a game. Wolves, despite retaining the majority of their Premier League squad after the transfer deadline, know sheer quality of player alone will not mean promotion.
Peixoto called for video assistant referees to be brought in to the Championship after Stansfield appeared to handle when bringing down Patrick Roberts’ brilliant chip before hammering home Birmingham’s first equaliser. “If the referee doesn’t see it, then what can you do,” Stansfield said.
“I don’t know why they don’t have VAR in the Championship,” Peixoto said. “It’s very important to help the referees to take the best decisions. I saw a handball and in the screen we saw a handball.” The Portuguese coach also confirmed that in a pre-season meeting with the Professional Game Referees, managers were told that grappling at corners would be penalised. “But it’s not happening,” he said.
While the home side dominated the second half, Wolves could have put the game to bed before Birmingham got going. López was involved in the build-up before advancing to side-foot home Rodrigo Gomes’s right-wing cross to the near post for his third goal of the season.
Then in the 19th minute, Christoph Klarer’s poor touch invited Raúl Jiménez to steal the ball and put in the winger who allowed James Beadle to save his dinked attempt.
Krejci is one of the elite players surprisingly still at Wolves. The Czechia captain’s bullet header, after André flicked on Hugo Bueno’s corner, gave Wolves another endorphin boost.
It was short-lived however, as Tchatchoua lobbed home his tragi-comic own goal. Jiménez struck the crossbar, as he did in defeat at West Ham, but then again, Neumann headed against the same woodwork midway through the second half.
Wolves had the clearest of many chances both teams had to win the game. López dispossessed Demarai Gray inside the area and, faced with the goalkeeper, squared for Armstrong. Somehow he contrived to lift the ball over the empty goal from 10 yards out. “The way Jack[son Tchatchoua] committed his mistake, Adam committed the mistake in the opposite side,” Peixoto said. “We have to take the confidence to them and keep fighting and work hard for the next game.”
There was still time for Birmingham to think they had won it as Marvin Ducksch arced a free-kick towards the top corner. There, however, was Sá to show why he was awarded a new contract, as he tipped the ball aside to ensure this pulsating match finished even.
