Crewe Alexandra 1-2 Birmingham City: Blues Edge Tight Friendly Encounter

Birmingham City secured a narrow 2-1 victory over Crewe Alexandra in a pre-season friendly at Gresty Road on 25 July 2026. The Championship side’s quality ultimately told, though League Two Crewe gave a spirited account of themselves throughout the contest.

Early Blues Pressure Tells

Birmingham dominated possession in the opening stages and took the lead midway through the first half. A well-rehearsed set-piece routine allowed a defender to head home from a corner. Crewe responded well and grew into the game, but the Blues defence held firm until the interval.

Second-Half Drama

The match opened up after the break. Crewe equalised with a fine strike from the edge of the box, giving the home fans reason to cheer. Birmingham, however, showed their experience and regained the lead just minutes later through a clinical finish after a defensive mix-up in the Crewe box. The final 20 minutes saw both teams push for more goals, but the 2-1 scoreline remained.

What It Means

• Birmingham City: A useful workout against a lower-league side. The Blues manager will be pleased with the set-piece goal and the response after conceding.
• Crewe Alexandra: Plenty of positives, particularly the equalising goal. The team competed well and will take heart from pushing a higher-level opponent close.

With pre-season building towards the league start, both clubs can take valuable lessons from this competitive affair.