Watford vs Birmingham

1 January 2026 · Championship · 2025/26 · Referee Lewis Smith

Full time 3 – 0

Half-time: 2–0

  • T. Ince 9’, 38’, 60’

Match summary

Watford won comfortably, 3-0 at home to Birmingham. Watford led 2-0 at half-time.

T. Ince put Watford ahead in the 9th minute, Ince made it 2-0 in the 38th minute, and Ince made it 3-0 in the 60th minute.

The chances backed that up: Watford created 1.59 expected goals (xG) from 13 shots to Birmingham's 0.40 from 6.

Match stats

45% Possession 55%
13 Shots 6
6 Shots on target 2
4 Corners 4
402 Passes 484
78.9% Pass accuracy 81.8%
13 Tackles 13
5 Fouls 14
1 Yellow cards 2
1 Offsides 3

Key events

Watford Birmingham
T. InceLeft foot shot1-0 (Watford)
9’
10’
K. FuruhashiShot on target
T. InceLeft foot shot2-0 (Watford)
38’
T. InceShot on target
38’
43’
46’
L. DykesW. T. Willumsson
N. IrankundaG. Chakvetadze
46’
47’
P. RobertsShot on target
T. InceLeft foot shot3-0 (Watford)
60’
63’
O. MaammaShot on target
67’
69’
77’
L. KoumasK. Anderson
K. BaahT. Ince
77’
78’
V. SemedoShot on target
90+5’

How the chances added up

Running total of expected goals (xG) for each side through the match. xG rates each chance by how often similar shots are scored. A goal is marked where it was scored.

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0’ 15’ 30’ 45’ 60’ 75’ 90’ HT 1.59 0.40 9’ T. Ince (Watford), 1-0 9’ 38’ T. Ince (Watford), 2-0 38’ 60’ T. Ince (Watford), 3-0 60’ 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 0’ 15’ 30’ 45’ 60’ 75’ 90’ HT 1.59 0.40 9’ T. Ince (Watford), 1-0 Ince 9’ 38’ T. Ince (Watford), 2-0 Ince 38’ 60’ T. Ince (Watford), 3-0 Ince 60’
Watford 1.59 xGBirmingham 0.40 xG Goal

Tap a goal for the scorer and score.

Shot map

Every shot and where it was taken from.

 Birmingham attacking Watford attacking 
9’ T. Ince (Watford), open play, 0.43 xG, goal 38’ T. Ince (Watford), open play, 0.22 xG, goal 19’ T. Ince (Watford), open play, 0.16 xG, off target 57’ M. Bola (Watford), open play, 0.16 xG, off target 38’ T. Ince (Watford), open play, 0.15 xG, saved 44’ P. Roberts (Birmingham), set piece, 0.13 xG, off target 60’ T. Ince (Watford), open play, 0.12 xG, goal 67’ O. Maamma (Watford), open play, 0.12 xG, saved 40’ P. Roberts (Birmingham), open play, 0.09 xG, off target 47’ P. Roberts (Birmingham), open play, 0.08 xG, saved 29’ M. Bola (Watford), open play, 0.05 xG, off target 79’ N. Irankunda (Watford), direct free kick, 0.04 xG, blocked 10’ K. Furuhashi (Birmingham), open play, 0.04 xG, saved 57’ L. Kjerrumgaard (Watford), open play, 0.04 xG, blocked 82’ E. J. Cashin (Birmingham), from a corner, 0.04 xG, hit the woodwork 55’ M. Bola (Watford), from a corner, 0.03 xG, off target 76’ K. Anderson (Birmingham), from a corner, 0.03 xG, blocked 90+5’ V. Semedo (Watford), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 58’ L. Kjerrumgaard (Watford), open play, 0.02 xG, off target 9’ T. Ince (Watford), open play, 0.43 xG, goal 38’ T. Ince (Watford), open play, 0.22 xG, goal 57’ M. Bola (Watford), open play, 0.16 xG, off target 19’ T. Ince (Watford), open play, 0.16 xG, off target 38’ T. Ince (Watford), open play, 0.15 xG, saved 44’ P. Roberts (Birmingham), set piece, 0.13 xG, off target 60’ T. Ince (Watford), open play, 0.12 xG, goal 67’ O. Maamma (Watford), open play, 0.12 xG, saved 40’ P. Roberts (Birmingham), open play, 0.09 xG, off target 47’ P. Roberts (Birmingham), open play, 0.08 xG, saved 29’ M. Bola (Watford), open play, 0.05 xG, off target 10’ K. Furuhashi (Birmingham), open play, 0.04 xG, saved 79’ N. Irankunda (Watford), direct free kick, 0.04 xG, blocked 57’ L. Kjerrumgaard (Watford), open play, 0.04 xG, blocked 82’ E. J. Cashin (Birmingham), from a corner, 0.04 xG, hit the woodwork 55’ M. Bola (Watford), from a corner, 0.03 xG, off target 76’ K. Anderson (Birmingham), from a corner, 0.03 xG, blocked 90+5’ V. Semedo (Watford), open play, 0.03 xG, saved 58’ L. Kjerrumgaard (Watford), open play, 0.02 xG, off target
Size shows xG Goal On target Off target or blocked

Hover or tap a shot for the player, minute and xG.

Lineups

Watford 4-2-3-1 Starting XI
Selvik
Abankwah
Pollock
Alleyne
Bola
Kyprianou
Louza 69’
Maamma 70’
Chakvetadze 46’
Ince 3
Kjerrumgaard 64’
Birmingham 4-2-3-1 Starting XI
Beadle
Sampsted 46’
Neumann
Robinson
Cochrane 62’
Iwata
Paik
Roberts
Willumsson 46’
Anderson 77’
Furuhashi 68’

Player stats

Goalkeeper1 player
90′ 2 0 28 3 – – – –
Defenders4 players
J. Abankwah
90′ – – – – – 24 2 – – –
90′ 1 – – 3 2 48 1 – –
90′ 3 – – 4 1 48 – – – –
M. Bola
90′ 2 2 – 4 1 49 – – – –
Midfielders7 players
90′ – – 32 – – 2 1 8 – 4 –
69′ – – 56 – – – 1 1 – – –
70′ – – 16 2 – 2 1 6 – 2 –
46′ – – – – –
T. Ince
77′ 3 – 21 – – 1 – 4 – 2 –
N. Mendy Came on as a substitute
21′ – – 12 – – 1 – 1 – – –
M. Sissoko Came on as a substitute
20′ – – 8 – – – – – – – –
Forwards4 players
64′ – – 2 – 0.06 – – 4 2 9 –
N. Irankunda Came on as a substitute
45′ – 1 1 – 0.04 – 3 4 1 15 –
V. Semedo Came on as a substitute
26′ – – 1 1 0.03 – – 1 – 8 –
K. Baah Came on as a substitute
13′ – – – – – – – 1 1 4 –
Came on Taken off Sent off Red is the most in that position for the team

Every player who took the pitch, starters first and then substitutes. A dash means none. xG and xA are expected goals and assists. A blank cell means that figure is not available for that player.

Before kick-off

Watford win 42% Avg odds 2.23
Draw 28% Avg odds 3.34
Birmingham win 30% Avg odds 3.17

Chances implied by the average closing odds, with the bookmaker margin removed.

Form going into the game

Last five league games before this one, oldest first. Select one to open it.

Previous and next meeting

Shots, expected goals, timeline, lineups, team and player statistics from Bzzoiro Sports Data (sports.bzzoiro.com). Results and odds from football-data.co.uk.