Blues on the brink after penalty miss

BIRMINGHAM paid the price for Nikola Zigic’s early saved penalty as a narrow defeat in Braga left them facing an uphill battle in their bid to progress to the knockout stages of the Europa League.

The Serbian saw his 11th-minute spot-kick saved by goalkeeper Quim and the Portuguese hosts went on to claim victory through Hugo Viana’s 50th-minute deflected strike.

The result saw Braga qualify for the last 32 from a tight Group H based on their head-to-head record and a 3-1 victory at St Andrew’s on match day one, while Club Brugge’s dramatic fightback to claim a 4-3 victory over bottom club Maribor also sent them three points clear of City.

It leaves the Blues needing to defeat Maribor in the final round of fixtures and hope Brugge and Braga do not play out a draw which would see the Belgium side through.

Wade Elliott and Chris Burke were enjoying particular success down the right channel and it was from that area that the former won a penalty for the away side when he was brought down by Ewerton on the edge of the box.

However, Quim dived to his left to produce a great parried save from Zigic.

Just minutes after half-time Chris Hughton’s side saw all their good work unravelled thanks to a chunk of misfortune that saw Viana’s shot deflected into the net via Curtis Davies.

Marlon King and Burke messed up Birmingham’s best chance of an equaliser 10 minutes from time as the Championship side’s chances of qualification faded.

BRAGA: Quim, Leandro Salino, Paulo Vinicius, Ewerton, Echiejile (Douglao 68), Djamal, Hugo Viana, Alan, Mossoro (Merida 84), Helder Barbosa (Paulo Cesar 68), Lima.

BIRMINGHAM: Myhill, Spector, Caldwell, Davies, Murphy, N’Daw, Elliott (King 64), Fahey, Burke, Beausejour (Redmond 64), Zigic (Wood 76).

Referee: M Strombergsson (Sweden).