Birmingham 1 Manchester United 1
Tuesday 28th December 2010, 9:45PM GMT.
A controversial Lee Bowyer goal in the last minute snatched Birmingham a point against Manchester United at St Andrew’s.
Bowyer slotted home from close range after substitute Nikola Zigic had appeared to have handled the ball in the area.
The goal cancelled out Dimitar Berbetov’s strike 32 minutes earlier, lifting Blues out of the drop zone on goal difference, with at least a game in hand on their relegation rivals.
Wary of the visitors’ attacking qualities, manager Alex McLeish opted for a defensive 4-5-1 formation and his side did a decent job containing their opponents in the first half.
However, Ryan Giggs almost opened the scoring when his mishit cross flew over goalkeeper Ben Foster’s head and rebounded off the post midway through the first half. It was the best chance of a dull 45 minutes.
But Berbatov rose to the occasion after the interval and opened the scoring with 58 minutes gone, after exchanging quick passes with Darron Gibson.
And the Bulgarian striker could have made it two when his low shot cannoned off the post midway through the second-half.
Then McLeish brought on Zigic late on to give his side an aerial threat and the big man appeared to cushion the ball into Bowyer’s path in the final minute, allowing Bowyer to net from fire into the net from just a few yards out.
UK Sport
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