Reading missed a last-minute penalty as Birmingham City held on to win 2-1 on the opening day of the season.

The Royals almost made a dream start as midfielder Oliver Norwood hit the crossbar from a free kick on the edge of the box, after a foul on new striker Orlando Sa.

Birmingham controlled much of the first 25 minutes, but struggled to create any clear openings as they peppered the Reading box with crosses, but the defence was capable of coping.

Reading almost grabbed the lead as the game drifted towards the break, as Paul McShane's shot was blocked on the line, before Norwood tested Tomas Kuszczak from distance.

However, the Blues took the lead through David Cotterill's bending free kick, which took a wicked deflection five minutes before the break.

Reading came out with the aim of getting back level quickly, but they conceded a second goal in the 47th minute as Jon Toral headed in from close range following a Clayton Donaldson cross.

The visitors got back into the game shortly after as Nick Blackman headed in from Chris Gunter's whipped cross from the right-hand side.

Danny Williams went close to equalising with a snarling shot from distance, which missed the post by inches, before McShane hit the crossbar from Norwood's cross.

The woodwork saved Birmingham again as Aaron Tshibola cracked an effort against the crossbar, before Demarai Gray almost wrapped up the win but his low shot went narrowly wide.

The referee then awarded the visitors a 95th-minute penalty after a foul by Paul Caddis, but Kuszczak kept out the penalty from Sa.