Birmingham City secured an emphatic 4-0 victory over Portsmouth in a Championship clash, marking their most significant win since returning to the league. Chris Davies' side took control early on with a goal from Paik Seung-ho, and second-half strikes from Tomoki Iwata and Christoph Klarer provided further comfort for the hosts before Keshi Anderson added a fourth in the closing stages. Despite Jay Stansfield missing a penalty in the fifth minute, Birmingham maintained their grip on the game, imposing their style effectively.

After managing just two wins in their previous nine matches, Birmingham laid a solid foundation from the outset and never looked back. The return of Marvin Ducksch from a hamstring injury proved pivotal, as he won the penalty that Stansfield failed to convert. Nevertheless, the hosts remained undeterred, and four minutes later, Paik Seung-ho opened the scoring with a header from an Alex Cochrane corner.

Portsmouth struggled to recover from the early setback and, despite enjoying more possession before halftime, failed to seriously threaten James Beadle's goal. Iwata doubled Birmingham's lead with a header from a Tommy Doyle corner, and just five minutes later, Christoph Klarer made it 3-0 with a header from a free-kick.

Portsmouth posed little threat in attack, and despite some late pressure, Birmingham added a fourth goal through Anderson, whose shot deflected off a defender to wrong-foot the goalkeeper. In the dying moments, Mark Kozlowski hit the post, but it did nothing to alter the outcome as Birmingham recorded their fourth clean sheet of the season.

Analysis: This victory is a significant boost for Birmingham, showcasing their potential in the Championship. Their strong defensive play and effectiveness from set-pieces are crucial elements that could propel them up the standings.