Bristol City's first match on their return to the Championship has ended in defeat as goals from Tom Lees and Lewis McGugan gave Sheffield Wednesday's new boss Carlos Carvalhal a winning start at Hillsborough.

There was little action at either end inside the opening period, until Wednesday nearly took the lead through Atdhe Nuhiu.

The Austrian forward connected with Marco Matias's cross, but City goalkeeper Frank Fielding kept his effort out.

Luke Freeman then drilled a low effort inches wide of goal from the edge of the area as Steve Cotterill's side slowly forced their way into the game.

However, they could have been behind just before the break had Matias connected with Ross Wallace's teasing cross.

The Owls eventually took the lead on the hour mark when Lees struck with a bullet header from a corner.

Bristol City then poured forward in search of an equaliser, only to see McGugan hack the ball off the line, then finish off a swift Wednesday counter-attack himself when he converted from Wallace's cross to double the lead.