Ghanaian winger Ibrahim Osman opened his goal scoring account for Birmingham City in their 2-1 win over Leicester City to keep their Championship play-off hopes alive.
Osman, who arrived at the St. Andrew’s Knighthead Park outfit on loan from Brighton in January, announced his presence with a debut goal against Leicester City at home.
Leicester, playing their first match since their six-point deduction for breaking spending rules, frustrated Birmingham and Abdul Fatawu cancelled out Ibrahim Osman's first-half opener.
The Foxes dug in after having Bobby De Cordova-Reid sent off on 32 minutes and their 10 men defended heroically.
But their resolve was finally broken when Blues leading scorer Jay Stansfield netted his 10th goal of the season to lift Chris Davies' Birmingham up to 10th - just two points off the play-off places.
Birmingham, who made six new signings in the winter transfer window, have now taken 14 points from their past six matches as they target a top-six finish.
In contrast, the Foxes, who have no permanent manager to add to their many problems, remain above the drop zone on goal difference only after taking a paltry point from their last five games.
The hosts made a flying start and Osman gave them the lead inside three minutes when he robbed Ricardo Pereira and squeezed the ball home past recalled Leicester goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.
But Leicester refused to lie down and Birmingham goalkeeper James Beadle made a smart save to deny De Cordova-Reid.
Birmingham did not heed the warning and Foxes top scorer Fatawu levelled on 21 minutes with his seventh of the season. Paik Seung-Ho's headed clearance fell to Fatawu who controlled the ball before lashing home on the half-volley.
De Cordova-Reid was sent off on 32 minutes for a dangerous studs-up challenge on Osman which caught the Ghanaian on the ankle.
Birmingham piled on the pressure, amassing 22 shots, including six on target, as Osman and Marvin Ducksch both missed, while Begovic denied Paik and Jhon Solis.
But the Foxes were finally beaten in the 67th minute when Ducksch fed Stansfield with a slide-rule pass and he produced an excellent, angled finish to end his 13-game barren run.
