Match overview
Competition: Barclays Women’s Super League 2
Date: Sunday 1 February 2026 (2:00pm)
Venue: St Andrew’s Stadium
Attendance: 1,553
Referee: Joanne Horwood (Fourth official: Laura van Lier)
Goals
- 22’ Georgia Brougham (OG) 1-0
- 45’ Joy Omewa 1-1
- 47’ Wilma Leidhammar 2-1
- 72’ Lotta Lindström 3-1
- 75’ Lotta Lindström 4-1
- 78’ Lotta Lindström 5-1
How the match unfolded
Birmingham City Women delivered a commanding second-half performance to secure a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Nottingham Forest Women at St Andrew’s, with Lotta Lindström’s rapid hat-trick proving decisive. The result further underlined Blues’ attacking quality and control in key moments of the contest.
The hosts began on the front foot, pressing Forest deep into their own half and forcing a series of uncomfortable defensive situations. That pressure was rewarded in the 22nd minute when a dangerous ball into the penalty area resulted in Georgia Brougham diverting the ball into her own net to give Birmingham an early advantage.
Forest responded positively and gradually grew into the contest. Just as Birmingham appeared set to take a narrow lead into the interval, the visitors struck. Joy Omewa finished from close range on 45 minutes to level the score at 1-1, ensuring the sides went in level at half-time.
Any momentum Forest hoped to carry into the second period was halted almost immediately. Birmingham regained the lead two minutes after the restart when Wilma Leidhammar headed home from close range, converting a cross from Veatriki Sarri to restore Blues’ advantage at 2-1.
Lindström’s decisive impact
With the match finely balanced entering the final 20 minutes, Lindström produced a devastating burst that turned a competitive encounter into a statement victory. Her first came on 72 minutes, a right-footed strike from outside the box that gave Birmingham breathing space. Three minutes later she added her second, finishing from the centre of the area after good work down the flank by Lily Crosthwaite.
The hat-trick was completed on 78 minutes as Lindström broke clear and finished from the left side of the box following a fast break, with Shanade Hopcroft providing the assist. In the space of six minutes, the scoreline moved from 2-1 to 5-1, effectively ending the contest.
Key talking points
- Birmingham scored four second-half goals, highlighting their ability to raise intensity after the break
- Lindström’s hat-trick between the 72nd and 78th minutes was the defining moment of the match
- A home crowd of 1,553 witnessed a complete and controlled performance from Blues
For full match details and statistics, see the official match report on Sky Sports.