Baek Seung-ho (28, Birmingham City) had the best week. After being named to the England League 1 (third division) Team of the Year, he scored a meaningful comeback goal on the England Championship (second division) stage.
On the 22nd (Korean time), Birmingham City defeated Oxford United 1-0, thanks to Baek Seung-ho's winning goal in their home game of the 2025-2026 season Championship Round 3 at St. Andrew's Stadium in Birmingham, England.
With this, Birmingham has continued their winning streak with 2 wins and 1 draw, accumulating 7 points to sit in 5th place in the league. Despite being newly promoted from the third division, they are displaying early form befitting a strong promotion candidate.
That day, Birmingham operated in a 4-4-2 formation. Baek Seung-ho formed the midfield alongside Japanese midfielder Tomoki Iwata. From the beginning, he showcased his presence by aiming for the Oxford goal with a left-footed shot and making a good pass to Kyogo Furuhashi.
The player who broke the 0-0 balance was none other than Baek Seung-ho. In the 40th minute of the first half, he connected a powerful right-footed shot from a cutback cross that came in from the left while falling down, finding the back of the net. It had been about 1 year and 3 months since Baek Seung-ho tasted a goal in the Championship, having scored his debut goal for England against Norwich City in May 2024.
Baek Seung-ho continued to support Birmingham's midfield in the second half, contributing to the team's victory. Birmingham maintained his early goal until the end, securing a 1-0 win. This was Baek Seung-ho's 3rd goal for Birmingham, earning the team 3 points.
According to the football statistics outlet 'Footmob', Baek Seung-ho played the full 90 minutes, recording 3 shots, 2 chance creations, and a passing accuracy of 89% (67/75). He received a rating of 8.3, the second highest among players from both teams. The British 'Birmingham Mail' noted, "It was a wonderful finish. He moved more freely than in previous weeks," giving him the highest rating on the team of 8.5.
After the match, the British 'BBC' stated, "Baek Seung-ho's finish in the first half played a crucial role in Birmingham City's victory over Oxford United 1-0. As a midfielder for the South Korean national team, he broke the deadlock with the only goal of the match five minutes before the end of the first half after a good passing sequence from the team."
The outlet reported, "Japanese national team forward Furuhashi missed two golden opportunities in the first half, but goalkeeper Ryan Allsop made a wonderful reaction to block Cameron Brannagan's long-range shot, keeping the lead. After receiving the ball from Demarai Gray on the left, he passed it to the cutting Baek Seung-ho, creating an opening. Baek Seung-ho calmly bypassed Jamie Coming to score."
Birmingham coach Kris Davis praised Baek Seung-ho, who made a difference in the match. According to the British 'Sky Sports', he said, "It was a great finish. Since I arrived here, Baek Seung-ho has continued to deliver special performances. He trains really hard and brings us a lot in midfield, especially along with Iwata."
Davis continued, "It was truly a wonderful finish. It felt like he was passing into the net. Many players try to shoot as hard as they can from that position, which can result in the ball going over the crossbar. However, Baek Seung-ho clearly identified the opening and accurately passed the ball into the net. He really did well."
Finally, he emphasized, "We have talked about utilizing Baek Seung-ho in a higher position in certain situations. He is exceptional with both feet and possesses excellent skills. He is definitely a player with international quality."
Meanwhile, Baek Seung-ho was recently named to the 2024-2025 England League 1 Team of the Year selected by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA). This recognizes his performance as the best midfielder in the third division last season. The PFA shared Baek Seung-ho's recent goal news, stating, "There are better weeks than usual. Trophies, goals, and victories."
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Reprint and redistribution prohibited), PFA, Birmingham social media.
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