Birmingham City 1-0 NK Maribor: Chris Hughton's men eliminated despite Adam Rooney winner

Adam Rooney scored as Birmingham City beat NK Maribor 1-0 in the Europa League but the Championship side still crashed out of the competition.

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The Bluenoses needed to win to give themselves any chance of qualifying for the last 32 and hope that Braga beat Club Brugge.

They scored the only goal of the game through Rooney who nodded in from the superb Nathan Redmond’s cross, but Braga's draw in Belgium means that win was in vain.

Chris Hughton made eight changes to his Birmingham side from their weekend win over Doncaster with Colin Doyle getting a chance in goal and the lofty pairing of Nikola Zigic and Adam Rooney coming in up front.

The Slovenians included top-scorer Dalibor Volas in their line-up as they looked to pick up their first win of the group stage in the final game.

Birmingham started the game well, and gave 17-year-old winger Nathan Redmond a chance to impress as he found a way past his man on several occasions in the first five minutes but was just unable to find a telling ball.

The whirlwind start to the match was tempered as Morgaro Gomis went into the book for the hosts after a late lunge on Cvijanovic.

The Blues kept up their attacking threat however, David Murphy’s long-range free-kick was deflected high into the air and with Hndanovic well beaten just went over and onto the roof of the net.

The Slovenians finally worked a way into the match after a poor start, Tavares hit a weak effort from 25-yards and was inches from making contact with Potokar’s teasing right-wing cross.

Giant defender Vidovic then headed over from a corner as Maribor looked to grab the lead.

Birmingham wrestled the initiative back though and forged chances of their own with Bausejour and Redmond looking dangerous in the wide areas.

And it was Redmond who provided the key to unlock the Maribor defence, flying past Arghus down the right and whipping a superb cross onto the head of Rooney who powered the ball under Handanovic and into the net.

Zigic flashed a shot wide and Volas had an effort blocked at the other end as both sides searched for a goal, Filipovic tested Doyle from 40-yards but the teams went in for half-time with Birmingham in the lead they required.

Feelin' blue | Win not enough despite Beausejour's good form

The second half was played at a slower pace, especially as news of Brugge’s opening goal filtered through the stadium, Vidovic and Arghus were booked for fouls on Rooney and Redmond respectively.

Redmond continued to impress, however, combining well with Spector down the right and hitting an effort which stung the palms of Handanovic.

Maribor didn't look to be willing to lie down and brought on tricky winger Ibraimi as they searched for an equaliser although it was Birmingham and Redmond yet again who looked threatening, Zigic heading over from the youngster's cross.

Volas then fired wide with his left-foot from inside the box and Maribor brought on Slovenian international Velikonja as they continued their search for a way back into the game.

Both sides made changes to their teams as the game lost tempo, N'Daw coming on for the Blues to inject fresh legs into the midfield and Trajkovski replacing Arghus who had picked up cramp after an evening of chasing the effervescent Redmond.

Ibraimi tricked through the Birmingham midfield and hit an effort that was deflected into the path of Volas but Pablo stepped in, just in the nick of time to clear the ball away.

Redmond was showing no signs of tiring despite his youth and rattled a beautiful volley onto the post where a goal would have been richly deserved, he was substituted soon after to raptuous applause from the home fans.

The Blues saw out the game and picked up the win they required but were left deflated as they learned of Club Brugge and Braga's draw in Belgium.