Club Brugge 1-2 Birmingham: Chris Hughton’s Championship side stun Belgians to remain in contention to progress from Group H

Birmingham City recorded an impressive away win against Club Brugge thanks to a late goal from supersub Chris Wood, to leave them joint top of Group H.

Both sides shuffled the pack for their third Europa League group game, with Brugge making three changes from the side which beat AA Gent 2-0 at the weekend.

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Meanwhile, Chris Hughton made no fewer than six changes to the team which beat Leicester 2-0, with noticeable absentees including Liam Ridgewell and Marlon King.

The home side got off to the best possible start, when Nabil Dirar was allowed to whip a testing ball into the Birmingham box, in-form striker Joseph Akpala nicked in front of Birmingham defender Steven Caldwell to prod the ball past Boaz Myhill and put his side 1-0 up, his fifth goal in the Europa League this season.

Hughton’s men began to settle following the opener, and Keith Fahey had a great chance to restore parity shortly after going behind, but he blazed his shot well wide from the edge of the area.

Shortly after that the Blues were level, through the unlikely source of left-back David Murphy. After Wade Elliott persisted down the right hand side, he delivered a great ball to the back post where Murphy drifted round the back of the Brugge defence to convert a simple chance.

Shortly before half-time the Bluenoses should have taken the lead. Zigic combined well with fellow forward Adam Rooney but the young forward fluffed his big chance and saw his shot role harmlessly wide.

Murphy's law | Defender brough his team back into the game

The home side began the second half much like they had started the first, keeping good possession but were unable to capitalise.

The Blues again had their heads in their hands shortly after, as Chris Burke handed Nikola Zigic a gilt edged opportunity to put his side ahead, but the Serb contrived to put his header wide.

Brugge manager Adrie Koster began to ring the changes shortly after the Zigic chance, clearly unhappy with the way the game was going, but the substitutions failed to really change the pattern of the game.

The clash was tarnished late on as Pablo Ibanez was eventually stretchered off having received treatment on the field for about ten minutes.

Then with just one minute of stoppage time left, Chris Wood, on as a substitute for Nikola Zigic, popped up with the winner to secure all three points.

It leaves Birmingham level with Brugge at the top of Group H, on six points after three games.