Tomoki Iwata and Kyogo Furuhashi were both absent as Birmingham City suffered a narrow FA Cup defeat to Leeds United.
The Japanese duo missed the gripping cup encounter through injury, leaving Blues without two key figures. Iwata, who made headlines in last season’s FA Cup with a stunning strike against Newcastle United, and compatriot Kyogo were both unavailable as Birmingham pushed their Premier League opponents all the way before eventually falling 4-2 on penalties.
Patrick Roberts had cancelled out Lukas Nmecha’s opener to force extra time, but Blues ultimately came up short in the shoot-out.
Speaking after the match, boss Chris Davies explained the pair’s absence. He revealed that both players are dealing with minor injury issues but stressed that neither problem is considered serious.
Iwata had already been rested during the midweek 0-0 Championship draw with West Bromwich Albion as the club managed a series of minor knocks.
That fixture marked the only league match this season that he has not started when available.
The midfielder picked up a blow to the hip in the recent trip to Oxford United, and Davies confirmed he has been coping with more than one issue.
However, the manager expressed optimism that Iwata is improving day by day after logging more minutes than any other player in the squad, and hopes he will soon be fit to return.
Leave a Reply