Birmingham City substitute Lukas Jutkiewicz showed all the coolness of a global superstar as he scored an injury-time penalty with his first touch to beat Leeds United.
Watched by Blues’ new owners Shelby – including American Football legend Tom Brady – it looked like fellow USA-owned Leeds United would hold out for a grim, goalless draw.
But Blues won a penalty bang on 90 minutes when Daniel James was adjudged to have fouled Ethan Laird – and veteran striker Jutkiewicz, who had come on just two minutes earlier, converted the resulting spot-kick.
Leeds keeper Illan Meslier got a foot on Jutkiewicz’s thumping penalty but could not stop it finding the back of the net to send the majority of the 20,000 reduced-capacity crowd into raptures.
It had already been a poignant day at St Andrew’s as the majority of Blues fans met publicly for the first time since the death of football legend Trevor Francis.
Jasper Carrott, Francis’ great long-time friend, gave a wonderful tribute to the former Birmingham City teenage star who became English football’s first £1m player.
But the arrival of Blues’ new American owners, headed by Tom Wagner, but with seven-times Superbowl winner Brady topping the bill, had stolen the show beforehand.
Brady even met some of the locals in the iconic Royal George pub just outside the Blues ground before the game.
Following such a pre-match build-up, the game itself unsurprisingly proved a massive letdown before the break, as neither side managed a single effort on target between them.
Relegated Leeds, missing want-away striker Wilfried Gnonto and fellow forward Luis Sinisterra, created little.
Keshi Anderson came as close as anyone to breaking the deadlock when he had a shot deflected wide after good work down the left by Siriki Dembele.
But, on a surreal day in Small Heath, there had to be a dramatic ending – and Jutkiewicz stepped up to take the acclaim – and maintain Blues’ unbeaten start to the season.
It was also an ironic way to end a week which began for Leeds last Sunday when they scored in injury time themselves to complete a comeback from 2-0 down to draw with Cardiff City.
The Brady bunch at Blues
Brady is just the latest high-profile American to become involved in British football, following the success of Hollywood-based duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at Wrexham.
Golfer Jordan Spieth is among those involved with Leeds after buying shares in 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers, which bought Leeds in July.
Blues say RIP to Trevor Francis
On a day of new beginnings at St Andrew’s, to have such a drab game settled by one of moment of high drama was a perfect way for Birmingham City to say goodbye to their most famous son.
On an emotional day in the second city, comedian Carrott, who had got to know Francis when they both burst on to the scene in the Midlands in the early to mid-1970s, led the tributes.
He called Francis “a hero, a role model and a symbol of a time when there was real hope in this stadium”.
And, under their new ownership, that feeling of hope is now genuinely back at St Andrew’s.
It is now 12-and-a-half years on from Blues, the Championship’s longest surviving club, last saying goodbye to the Premier League.
That was an unwanted title claimed from Leeds three years ago – but the positive feeling around the club brought the biggest crowd since February. And there will be even more packed in when the ground returns to its full near 30,000 capacity in November.
Birmingham City boss John Eustace:
“The new owners came into the dressing room just as I was coming out and congratulated the lads. It’s great to see Tom Brady in there as well.
“Tom spoke to the group before our meeting. That is great to have one of the most famous sporting people in the world come down and chat to the group. You can see his presence at the club. The vision he’s got for the football club is amazing.
“We dedicate that winner to Trevor Francis and his family. It marked a real special occasion.
“The boys were outstanding with and without the ball. Tactically you have to be spot on against an excellent Leeds team and the level of concentration and the way the boys went about their business was superb.”
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke:
“This is exactly what I would have expected because I have been in the situation before. I know after relegation it’s never easy. There is a hangover.
“There’s always question marks, especially in the first transfer window. What makes it a bit different is the situation with the [Gnonto] contract. We spoke quite openly about it, that there are exit clauses that makes the situation obviously quite difficult.
“But I knew this before and my decision for this massive club was really with full commitment. I am totally convinced that we can lead the club in the middle and long term to success.
“We knew that the start would be bumpy and would be tricky. It’s not the easiest shop at the moment, but I mentioned before that it wouldn’t be that much fun to turn our fate around. I know that it’s a hell of a task. I said this even in my first press conference. We have to be a bit patient.”
