SOCCER: Birmingham City 2 Aston Villa 1: MAYBE BIRMINGHAM City supporters will take Nikola Zigic to the hearts after all. For much of this quarter-final the €7 million summer signing from Valencia had Alex McLeish running his hands through his hair in despair, and the home fans calling for the striker to be substituted. But with six minutes to go the Serbian scored a goal that will etch his name into Blues folklore forever.
The game was edging towards extra-time when Cameron Jerome escaped on the right and delivered a low cross that Zigic converted, via a deflection off Luke Young, to put Birmingham in the semi-finals, where the meet West Ham. It also inflicted their first defeat on rivals Villa in five years.
Birmingham and Villa both struck inside a breathless opening half hour, although there was a controversial moment before Agbonlahor equalised, when McLeish’s team had what looked to be a legitimate goal disallowed.
Zigic’s shot, after Stephen Warnock could only half-clear Roger Johnson’s header, crossed the line despite Brad Friedel’s attempts to claw it to safety. The Serbian wheeled away but his celebrations were cut short when the assistant referee raised his flag. Liam Ridgewell was clearly offside but it was questionable whether he was interfering. Birmingham were left cursing, and another blow quickly followed.
Jonathan Hogg threaded a fine pass that invited Agbonlahor to bear down on goal. Lee Bowyer was at his side but Agbonlahor held off the midfielder before steering a right-foot shot across goalkeeper Ben Foster to the net.
Birmingham’s breakthrough came in the 12th minute when Sebastian Larsson dispatched his penalty after Richard Dunne, who is increasingly becoming a liability, brought down Bowyer.
Villa started to tighten their grip in the second half, beginning to control possession and ask questions of the Birmingham defence who started to lose their discipline as both Scott Dann and Stephen Carr were booked.
Foster produced saves to deny Stephen Ireland and Ashley Young. Birmingham were hanging on but Zigic then struck to seal their passage into the last four.
GuardianService
BIRMINGHAM: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson (Murphy 88), Ferguson, Bowyer (Gardner 65), Fahey, Jerome, Zigic (Derbyshire 90). Subs not used: Taylor, Michel, Beausejour, Jiranek. Booked: Dann, Carr.
ASTON VILLA:Friedel, Luke Young, Dunne, Collins, Warnock (Delfouneso 90), Ashley Young, Clark, Hogg (Pires 90), Bannan (Ireland 72), Downing, Agbonlahor. Subs not used: Guzan, Carew, Cuellar, Lichaj. Booked: Hogg, Ashley Young, Collins.
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside).
