Birmingham 2-2 Barcelona: Highlights, stats, man of the match as Egyptian teenager Hamza Abdelkarim hits brace in pre-season draw

Hamza Abdelkarim stole the amusement with a brace arsenic Barcelona drew 2-2 with Birmingham City successful Friday night's pre-season affable successful England.

August Priske headed the Championship hosts into a 31st-minute lead, but Abdelkarim scored from the punishment spot to level the scores earlier the break; the 18-year-old past struck his 2nd of the lucifer connected the hr to nonstop the La Liga champions ahead.

Birmingham answered backmost done Jhon Solis soon after, though, and the entertaining pre-season affable astatine the location of the Blues yet finished each square.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

Birmingham merit a batch of recognition for what was a beardown performance, and the Championship outfit tin instrumentality plentifulness of encouragement from their last affable of the summer.

However, the communicative of the lucifer was the show of Abdelkarim.

The teen joined Barcelona connected a imperishable ground from Al Ahly earlier this summertime aft representing Barcelona Atletic connected indebtedness successful the 2nd fractional of past season.

The striker made 4 appearances for Egypt astatine the 2026 World Cup, and helium is present being recognised astatine first-team level by Barcelona, scoring doubly for Hansi Flick's side.

It remains to beryllium seen whether Abdelkarim is kept successful the elder set-up erstwhile the existent concern begins adjacent month, but helium made a immense content successful the clash successful England.

Barcelona besides handed a debut to caller signing Karim Adeyemi.

BIRMINGHAM VS. BARCELONA HIGHLIGHTS

31st min: Birmingham 1-0 Barcelona (August Priske)

Birmingham marque the breakthrough successful the 31st infinitesimal of the match, and it is an fantabulous header from Priske, with the 22-year-old guiding a transverse from Alexander Cochrane into the backmost of the net.

42nd min: Birmingham 1-1 Barcelona (Hamza Abdelkarim, pen)

Barcelona level the scores successful the 42nd infinitesimal of the contest, with Abdelkarim registering from the punishment spot aft the 18-year-old had been fouled by Christoph Klarer.

60th min: Birmingham 1-2 Barcelona (Hamza Abdelkarim)

Abdelkarim has his 2nd of the match, converting from adjacent scope pursuing a mistake from the Birmingham goalkeeper. What an evening for the teenager!

68th min: Birmingham 2-2 Barcelona (Jhon Solis)

All quadrate erstwhile again! Birmingham marque it 2-2 successful the 68th infinitesimal of the fixture, arsenic Solis registers from adjacent scope pursuing a header from Klarer.

MAN OF THE MATCH - HAMZA ABDELKARIM

Hamza Abdelkarim x2 ⚽️⚽️???? pic.twitter.com/fjzLNnfp8i

What a show from the 18-year-old.

The striker won the punishment that helium scored successful the archetypal play and past added a 2nd successful the 60th minute, soon earlier being brought off.

There volition surely beryllium a fig of clubs asking Barcelona astir a imaginable indebtedness determination adjacent play if the Catalan outfit bash not support the teen successful the archetypal team.

BIRMINGHAM VS. BARCELONA MATCH STATS

Possession: Birmingham 32%-68% Barcelona

Shots: Birmingham 8-13 Barcelona

Shots connected target: Birmingham 4-6 Barcelona

Corners: Birmingham 3-5 Barcelona

Fouls: Birmingham 18-10 Barcelona

BEST STATS

Adeyemi makes his Barça debut! ?❤️ pic.twitter.com/Quhft1uCAD

WHAT NEXT?

Barcelona volition proceed their preparations for the 2026-27 run with a behind-closed-doors affable against Preston North End connected Monday.

Birmingham, meanwhile, person present completed their pre-season; the Blues volition statesman their caller play distant to Swansea City successful the EFL Cup connected August 8.