Pandiani strikes to earn Birmingham vital point

Birmingham 2 Manchester United 2

Pandiani, who is on the verge of joining Espanyol for £1m, turned home his second league goal this season with 12 minutes remaining.

United had twice led through Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney, and had the chances in the second-half to kill off the game but the Blues never gave up and gained only their fifth home point of the campaign.

Alex Ferguson's side are now 11 points adrift of Chelsea after their 1-0 win at Manchester City.

Birmingham are still in deep trouble, but this will be an enormous confidence-boost against a United side who had taken 22 points from the previous eight games.

City are at least showing signs of not surrendering their top flight status without a fight.

They matched the Red Devils in the opening 45 minutes with a committed performance and Emile Heskey caused plenty of problems to the United rearguard.

In the second-half United stepped up a gear with Rooney a constant threat and they had opportunities to have wrapped up the points in more comfortable fashion. But Bruce's battlers refused to buckle.

It took United only four minutes to break the deadlock through Van Nistelrooy's 17th goal of the campaign.

Paul Scholes played a ball into the path of Kieran Richardson, who had time to steady himself before sending over a low pass to Van Nistelrooy, who held off the challenge of Upson to drill his shot past Maik Taylor.

The Blues retaliated and Scholes pulled off a point-blank range clearance to somehow keep out Stephen Clemence's header after Heskey had flicked Jermaine Pennant's corner across the face of goal.

The home side were showing plenty of spirit after their early setback.

Edwin van der Sar reacted well to hold on to a 35-yard free-kick from Jiri Jarosik low to his right before the Blues deservedly equalised after 19 minutes.

United appealed in vain for a foul by former United midfielder Nicky Butt on Cristiano Ronaldo and Birmingham broke away in incisive fashion down the left.

Jamie Clapham and Jarosik combined, Emile Heskey turned the ball back into the path of Clapham and his low shot contained too much power for van der Sar.

United were temporarily rattled and Jarosik again went for glory from another long-range free-kick and was only a yard too high with a curling effort.

United threatened and Scholes spotted Van Nistelrooy and threaded a perfect pass into his path but he drilled his shot straight at Maik Taylor.

The Blues were knocking the ball around with a confidence which belied their lowly league placing and Heskey was a constant threat up front.

Rooney had a quiet opening half-hour and his first attempt at goal contained plenty of power but flew past Taylor's post.

United began to enjoy more of the possession in the closing minutes of the half and Van Nistelrooy hit the inside of the post after combining with Rooney, but had drifted offside.

Maik Taylor was fortunate after spilling the ball when coming to the edge of his area but he was able to recover before Van Nistelrooy could pounce.

Birmingham would have been mindful of being caught cold by United in the opening minutes of the second half of last week's Carling Cup tie after the introduction of Rooney as a substitute.

Rooney went close for the first time in the game when he spun past Martin Taylor on the edge of the box and fired a rasping shot only a yard wide, but he made no mistake in the 53rd minute.

Alan Smith sent over a low teasing ball, Van Nistelrooy allowed it to run through to Rooney, who calmly clipped it wide of Maik Taylor into the corner of the net.

United were enjoying more of the possession and Van Nistelrooy screwed a shot across the face of goal after racing onto a Rooney pass.

Ronaldo had the chance to wrap up the points for United after being played in by Van Nistelrooy but he sliced his shot across the face of goal.

Rooney was only inches off target with a sublime chip as Maik Taylor scrambled across his goal line after evading the challenge of Martin Taylor.

Bruce brought on Pandiani for Pennant and within three minutes the striker had brought the Blues level.

Neil Kilkenny's free-kick found its way to Damien Johnson at the far post and he managed to turn the ball back across goal where Pandiani made no mistake.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was introduced by United for the final six minutes his first senior action for 19 months after severe knee problems but the Blues held on.

BIRMINGHAM: Maik Taylor, Cunningham, Martin Taylor, Upson, Clapham (Painter 84), Pennant (Pandiani 75), Clemence (Kilkenny 69), Butt, Johnson, Heskey, Jarosik.

MAN UTD: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, O'Shea, Richardson (Giggs 86), Fletcher, Scholes, Smith (Park 83), Ronaldo (Solskjaer 83), van Nistelrooy, Rooney.

Ref: H Webb (S Yorkshire).