• Date: Sat 19 January 2008
  • Venue: St Andrews Stadium
  • Ref: Styles, R
  • Attendance: 26,567

Birmingham City vs Chelsea

Team Lineups

Birmingham City

Maik Taylor
Rafael Schmitz
Stephen Kelly
Franck Queudrue
Liam Ridgewell
Damien Johnson
Olivier Kapo
Fabrice Muamba
Sebastian Larsson
Garry O'Connor (Mikael Forssell, 72)
Cameron Jerome (James McFadden, 72)

Chelsea

Petr Cech
Ricardo Carvalho
Ashley Cole
Juliano Belletti
Rodrigo da Costa Alex
Florent Malouda (Wayne Bridge, 90)
Shaun Wright-Phillips (Claudio Pizarro, 29)
Michael Ballack
Claude Makelele
Joe Cole (Steve Sidwell, 85)
Nicolas Anelka


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

It's finished - Pizarro's goal giving Chelsea a hard-fought win but Birmingham will feel hard done by and deserved at least a point from this game.

90

Another Belletti corner is cleared by Franck Queudrue - time almost up now

88

Injury time beckoning and Chelsea appear to have just done enough

85
Substitution
 

Steve Sidwell is on for Joe Cole

85

Five minutes left and Chelsea are closing in on a hard-fought three points here

84

Anelka strikes at goal again but Maik Taylor saves well

83

Blues have responded well to the goal and claim two quick corners - but Chelsea survive

81

That header from Pizarro may have won it for Chelsea but it's harsh on Birmingham

79
Goal
 

Pizarro puts Chelsea in front from close range after Birmingham fail to deal with a corner

77
Yellow Card
 

Pizarro is booked - only the second yellow of the game

74

McFadden almost makes the dream start to his Blues career when, from a quick corner, he forces Cech into a good save with his feet

72
Substitution
 

In a double change, O'Connor is replaced by Mikael Forssell

72
Substitution
 

Jerome is replaced by McFadden for his City debut

71

All to play for still in the final 20 minutes, Birmingham have been the better side overall but the visitors have improved in recent minutes

69

Better from Chelsea finally as Joe Cole's corner is cleared

67

A lovely one-two between Anelka and Malouda ends with Anelka's effort being blocked but that was Chelsea's best chance so far

64

Half a chance for Anelka but Birmingham defend well again and clear

61

McLeish's side are on top but need a goal as Chelsea continue to look very lacklustre

58

Kapo's pull back is aimed for Larsson but Cech just diverts it away from his path and the ball hits Larsson and goes wide but a great chance for Blues

56

Still defences on top at St Andrews but the game should open up in the last half an hour

54

Anelka has been kept fairly quiet so far but he manages to get a shot in - but it's wide

50

Alex McLeish will be pleased with the way his side have began the second period - Chelsea, however, will be looking to improve

48

Malouda fouls Ridgewell as Kapo fires another shot well over the bar for the home side

Second half
 

The second 45 get underway in a dull and wet West Midlands

Half time
 

The home side have had the better chances but it's half-time and still goalless at St Andrews

42

Muamba then blasts over the bar - Birmingham may rue these missed chances

42

Jerome's effort from a corner is cleared off the line by Alex this time - another great chance for the home side

40

That was a let-off for Chelsea and the closest either team has come to a goal in the first half so far

38

Cech mis-kicks from a backpass and Cameron Jerome almost puts Birmingham in front but the ball strikes the post

36

Chelsea attempt to force the issue again as Alex heads wide from close-range

35

The home fans have been noisy so far and will be pleased to take Chelsea into half time level - 10 minutes or so to the break

32

Damien Johnson's strike is blocked but the home side are playing on the break still

30
Substitution
 

Wright-Phillips failed to shake off that early knock and is forced off - Pizarro comes on in his place

30

The visitors have shaded it so far without creating many chances

28

Carvalho gets in the way of an Olivier Kapo shot from the right at Birmingham manage to ease the pressure with a rare attack

25

Chelsea are looking the more dangerous going forward but the home side are defending well

22

Ballack's well-delivered free kick is cleared by Liam Ridgewell as Chelsea turn up the heat

19

Anelka gets his first chance of the game but his shot is blocked - the game has livened up now

17

Sebastian Larsson's cross is met by the head of Olivier Kapo, but it's fairly comfortable for Petr Cech

16

Birmingham win a corner and O'Connor rises but his header is over

14

After an initial nervous start, City are having more possession now

13

Ballack fires a free-kick from distance straight into the arms of Maik Taylor

12

Still no real chances to report in what has been a tentative start at St Andrews

11
Yellow Card
 

Muamba is booked for unsporting behaviour

9

Fabrice Muamba brings down Michael Ballack for a Chelsea free-kick

7

Birmingham advance and Garry O'Connor tries his luck but his effort is blocked by Ricardo Carvalho

6

Shaun Wright-Phillips has picked up a knock and needs treatment

5

No early chances but Birmingham are looking a little nervous at the moment

3

The away side have done most of the early attacking at St Andrews

2

Chelsea win an early corner but it comes to nothing in the end

Kickoff
 

The game begins with the home side's fans looking for another impressive display against one of the 'top four'

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Chelsea new-boy Nicolas Anelka makes his first start in place of Claudio Pizarro, while Birmingham are unchanged from the side that drew against Arsenal but do have new signing James McFadden on the bench.