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Played
November 30, 2011 6:00 PM GMT
Estádio AXA — Braga
Referee: M. Strömbergsson
Attendance: 9957
November 30, 2011 6:00 PM GMT
Estádio AXA — Braga
Referee: M. Strömbergsson
Attendance: 9957
51′
Hugo Viana
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| Braga | 1.46 | 1.08 | 1.48 | 1.05 | 1.50 | 1.55 | 1.01 | 1.52 | 1.50 |
| Draw | 4.00 | 6.00 | 3.90 | 11.00 | 4.00 | 3.75 | 20.00 | 4.10 | 4.00 |
| Birmingham City | 7.00 | 29.00 | 7.25 | 66.00 | 7.00 | 5.80 | 100.00 | 6.70 | 6.00 |
Top of the Match
Chris Burke
Birmingham City
Birmingham City
Chris Burke
Birmingham City
Birmingham City
Flop of the Match
Ewerton Jose Almeida Santos
Braga
Braga
Ewerton Jose Almeida Santos
Braga
Braga
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Braga 1-0 Birmingham City: Second-half Hugo Viana strike dents Blues' European hopes after Zigic penalty miss
Chris Hughton's side's qualification chances now lie out of their hands, after the former Newcastle United player's deflected effort secured progression for the Portuguese
By John Stammers
Birmingham City were left rueing a Nikola Zigic missed penalty, after Hugo Viana's second-half strike secured Europa League qualification for Sporting Braga at the Estadio Municipal de Braga on Wednesday night with a 1-0 victory.
The result means the Championship side's progression from Group H now relies on other results with one group game remaining.
Braga opted for a fluid 4-5-1 formation, with skipper Alan and Helder Barbosa playing behind Brazilian striker Lima. Zigic returned to the Birmingham starting XI after netting a late equaliser against Blackpool on Saturday, as boss Chris Hughton also named a five-man midfield.
The visitors exploded out of the blocks, creating a series of early chances in the opening quarter of an hour. Chris Burke was lively down the right flank, having a hand-ball penalty shout turned down and creating a good chance for Jean Beausejour, who headed wide.
Hughton's men should have gone ahead when awarded a penalty for Ewerton's tug on Wade Elliot, the defender receiving a yellow card, however Zigic saw his poor effort saved by Quim in the Braga goal.
Burke continued to threaten and was hacked down by the already cautioned Ewerton, who was lucky to stay on the pitch, before David Murphy saw his low shot from the resulting free-kick parried away by the keeper at his near post.
Another foul from the home side gave Murphy the chance to dispatch a great in-swinging delivery into the box, but Zigic failed to make contact with the ball before Steven Caldwell saw his effort saved by Quim.
After a promising start from the Championship side, the Portuguese outfit soon regained a foothold in the game, with Alan switching wings to the left-hand side, and in turn pinning Burke back and isolating Zigic up-front.
Braga started to press as the half went on, but the visiting defence limited them to ambitious long-shots, whilst Keith Fahey was unable to direct his shot either side of Quim as the half came to a close.
Birmingham were unlucky not to go in to the break in the lead, and in a cruel start to the second half, Braga went a goal ahead through a deflected shot from Viana in the 51st minute. The Portuguese midfielder's shot from outside the area was going wide until it hit Curtis Davies and wrong-footed Blues' keeper Boaz Myhill.
The visitors responded well with Burke continuing to cause problems down the flank, and Fahey and Beausejour having shots blocked. As the game opened up Braga had a good chance to double their lead just inside the hour mark but Leandro Salino's shot was, this time, successfully blocked by Davies.
Hughton looked to press for an equaliser as he made a double change in the 64th minute with Marlon King, who scored the goal when they lost 3-1 at home to Braga, replacing Elliot, and teenager Nathan Redmond coming on for Beausejour.
Minutes later Barbosa fired a dangerous cross between the Birmingham back-line and keeper, but no-one was there to get a finishing touch.
The game became stretched in the final 20 minutes as the Blues searched for an equaliser and they had a good opportunity following a run from Zigic, but the Serbian was unable to find a team-mate in the centre.
Clear chances were few and far between as the game entered the last ten minutes, but Braga should have put the game to bed on the counter. Myhill saved one-on-one from Lima and then Alan somehow put the follow-up over the bar.
The visitors continued to search for a route back into the game in the closing stages, but lacked any real penetration and were forced to fire long balls into the box, as Braga held on for a 1-0 victory.
Birmingham now need Braga to beat Brugge in their final game to have any chance of qualifying for the Europa League round of 32.
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The result means the Championship side's progression from Group H now relies on other results with one group game remaining.
Braga opted for a fluid 4-5-1 formation, with skipper Alan and Helder Barbosa playing behind Brazilian striker Lima. Zigic returned to the Birmingham starting XI after netting a late equaliser against Blackpool on Saturday, as boss Chris Hughton also named a five-man midfield.
The visitors exploded out of the blocks, creating a series of early chances in the opening quarter of an hour. Chris Burke was lively down the right flank, having a hand-ball penalty shout turned down and creating a good chance for Jean Beausejour, who headed wide.
Hughton's men should have gone ahead when awarded a penalty for Ewerton's tug on Wade Elliot, the defender receiving a yellow card, however Zigic saw his poor effort saved by Quim in the Braga goal.
Burke continued to threaten and was hacked down by the already cautioned Ewerton, who was lucky to stay on the pitch, before David Murphy saw his low shot from the resulting free-kick parried away by the keeper at his near post.
Another foul from the home side gave Murphy the chance to dispatch a great in-swinging delivery into the box, but Zigic failed to make contact with the ball before Steven Caldwell saw his effort saved by Quim.
After a promising start from the Championship side, the Portuguese outfit soon regained a foothold in the game, with Alan switching wings to the left-hand side, and in turn pinning Burke back and isolating Zigic up-front.
Braga started to press as the half went on, but the visiting defence limited them to ambitious long-shots, whilst Keith Fahey was unable to direct his shot either side of Quim as the half came to a close.
Birmingham were unlucky not to go in to the break in the lead, and in a cruel start to the second half, Braga went a goal ahead through a deflected shot from Viana in the 51st minute. The Portuguese midfielder's shot from outside the area was going wide until it hit Curtis Davies and wrong-footed Blues' keeper Boaz Myhill.
The visitors responded well with Burke continuing to cause problems down the flank, and Fahey and Beausejour having shots blocked. As the game opened up Braga had a good chance to double their lead just inside the hour mark but Leandro Salino's shot was, this time, successfully blocked by Davies.
Hughton looked to press for an equaliser as he made a double change in the 64th minute with Marlon King, who scored the goal when they lost 3-1 at home to Braga, replacing Elliot, and teenager Nathan Redmond coming on for Beausejour.
Minutes later Barbosa fired a dangerous cross between the Birmingham back-line and keeper, but no-one was there to get a finishing touch.
The game became stretched in the final 20 minutes as the Blues searched for an equaliser and they had a good opportunity following a run from Zigic, but the Serbian was unable to find a team-mate in the centre.
Clear chances were few and far between as the game entered the last ten minutes, but Braga should have put the game to bed on the counter. Myhill saved one-on-one from Lima and then Alan somehow put the follow-up over the bar.
The visitors continued to search for a route back into the game in the closing stages, but lacked any real penetration and were forced to fire long balls into the box, as Braga held on for a 1-0 victory.
Birmingham now need Braga to beat Brugge in their final game to have any chance of qualifying for the Europa League round of 32.
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Goal
Own Goal
Penalty
Penalty Missed
Yellow Card
Assist
Penalty Save
Penalty Shootout Goal
Penalty Shootout Miss
Yellow Card / Red Card
Red Card
Substitution IN
Substitution OUT
Injury
Goal.com Rating
Goal.com Man of the Match
Goal.com Flop of the Match
Top & Flop Global Ranking
Fans' Man of the Match- Fans' Flop of the Match
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
Striker Schalke |
14 | 3 |
|
Radamel Falcao
Striker Atlético Madrid |
12 | 1 |
|
Adrián
Striker Atlético Madrid |
10 | 0 |
|
Fernando Llorente Torres
Striker Bilbao |
7 | 2 |
|
Jonatan Ezequiel Cristaldo
Striker Metalist Kharki |
7 | 0 |
