Birmingham City 2:2 Barcelona — Match Report

Gary RedknappFootball AnalystMATCH REPORT

Hamza Abdelkarim's brace rescued a 2-2 draw for Barcelona against Birmingham City in a club friendly, as the forward's two strikes cancelled out August Priske's opener and Jhon Solis's late leveller, leaving the Catalans without a win to carry into their next scheduled outing. The match was a scrappy affair that saw Christoph Klarer booked inside eighteen minutes before Abdelkarim went into the book just before the break, with Birmingham's early lead through Priske's 31st-minute finish, assisted by Alex Cochrane, quickly wiped out by Abdelkarim's equaliser six minutes before half-time.

The turning point came in the second half when Abdelkarim struck again on the hour mark to put Barcelona ahead, only for Birmingham to respond through Solis in the 68th minute, assisted by Klarer, to snatch a share of the spoils in a game that ebbed and flowed without a clear winner. Jay Stansfield also saw yellow for the hosts, but neither side could find a decisive goal after that frantic spell, leaving the friendly honours even.

The statistics tell a tale of dominance without reward, as Barcelona controlled possession with 68% to Birmingham's 32% and fired 13 shots against the hosts' 8, while the away side's 5 corners to 3 underlined their territorial edge, yet they still needed Abdelkarim's double to escape with a point. Abdelkarim was the standout, earning an 8.1 rating for his two goals from his forward position, the only player on the pitch to truly deliver in front of goal.

Questions & Answers

What was the final score of Birmingham City vs Barcelona?

Birmingham City 2-2 Barcelona (Club Friendly Games).

Who scored?

August Priske (31', assist Alex Cochrane) for Birmingham City; Hamza Abdelkarim (42') for Barcelona; Hamza Abdelkarim (60') for Barcelona; Jhon Solis (68', assist Christoph Klarer) for Birmingham City.

Were there any cards in Birmingham City vs Barcelona?

Yellow cards: Christoph Klarer (Birmingham City); Hamza Abdelkarim (Barcelona); Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City).

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