Scott Hogan’s hat-trick sealed a 3-2 win for Birmingham to continue West Brom’s sloppy start to the season at The Hawthorns.
Striker Hogan put Man City ahead at half-time, scoring Jed Wallace’s equalizer before adding a third-class goal to bring back a row of away victories for Man City.
Substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante made it 3-2 with a late penalty but Albion could not equalize further as Birmingham went on to win consecutive away games and win at The Cup for the first time. Hawthorns since August 2005.
After a 15-minute delay due to traffic jams and then a minute of perfect silence and the national anthem in memory of the late Queen, the match was on.
The Blues had their first chance when Troy Deeney’s fierce header fired into goal.
Albion responded with a chance for Karlan Grant but Kyle Bartley caught the ball from John Swift’s corner a bit high and he nodded.
The Blues threatened again through Tahith Chong but the former Manchester United youngster excelled over the crossbar.
The visitors looked really alive and took the lead 14 minutes into the match. Hogan unleashed a cool, low shot past keeper David Button after Juninho Bacuna cleared the ball offside through Juninho Bacuna’s cross.
Albion tried to hit back and Wallace’s shot into the bottom corner was sent back to the post by goalkeeper John Ruddy before Bartley headed back from another Swift corner.
The Baggies leveled after 23 minutes. Jayson Molumby’s neat ball evaded Josh Williams’ miss and Wallace calmly shot past Ruddy’s foot.
Molumby was not far away with a low steering drive, changing direction to put a foot over the bar before Swift’s similar attempt was blocked by Ruddy.
The Blues regained the lead spectacularly in the 54th minute. Hogan went home for the second time of the game and fourth of the season, but it owed a lot to Bacuna, who started the action by winning the ball. from a West Brom corner
before passing Troy Deeney and racing clear, before delivering the cross.
Hogan completed his hat-trick as he picked up a superb pass from Deeney on the left and cut in before poking the ball past Button’s foot in the near corner.
Thomas-Asante reduced the penalty with an 83rd-minute penalty after he was knocked down by Dion Sanderson, although it appeared to be outside the box.
Albion continued to dominate the ball but the Blues defended well to hold back the Midlands rivals.
