Nacional 0 Birmingham 0

Birmingham remain in the hunt for a place in the Europa League group stages after battling to a goalless draw against Portuguese top-flight side Nacional in Madeira.

It was Blues' first European encounter for 50 years and Chris Hughton's side had the best of the chances in a cagey first leg affair of their qualifying playoff at the Estadio da Madeira.

Blues rattled the woodwork on three occasions but also had to defend well at times in a fairly even encounter.

A spate of injuries forced Hughton to make three changes to the side that beat Coventry in the Championship on Saturday.

Jordon Mutch was sidelined with an ankle injury suffered in training on Tuesday, while Morgaro Gomis was also left out of the squad of 18 with a calf injury.

Jonathan Spector was handed his Blues debut in midfield, while winger Nathan Redmond was also promoted from the bench.

David Murphy was also brought into the back four, with Liam Ridgewell pushed forward playing a holding midfield role.

Chris Wood started his second successive game as a lone striker.

Both sides started the game in cautious fashion, to a crescendo of noise from a hardy army of 500 travelling Bluenoses.

The visitors could have taken the lead within nine minutes when Mateus Galiano da Costa broke into the penalty area, but Curtis Davies made a superbly-timed tackle on the edge of the six yard box to deny him.

At the other end, Steven Caldwell struck the post with a header from Jean Beausejour's left wing corner 24 minutes in.

Ridgewell gave Blues another injury scare four minutes later after being caught by the studs of Mario Rondon, but he was on his feet after some treatment.

Luis Alberto header just wide from a corner with 15 minutes left and Beausejour became the first booking of the game four minutes later, after lashing out at Joao Aurelio.

Jose Edgar Costa evened up the card count soon afterwards for a foul on Beausejour and Wood rattled the bar two minutes from the end of normal time, after Nacional goalkeeper Elisson dropped Beausejour's free-kick under pressure from Davies.

At half time, Nacional made two chages, with De Lima Diego Barcelos replacing Rene Mihelic and Batista Elizeu replaced Dejan Skolnik.

But it was Blues who appeared the fresh after the restart, as Wood again struck the woodwork within three minutes from Chris Burke's cross.

Ridgewell was booked on 54 minutes and Edgar Costa was replaced by Daniel Candeias with 22 minutes left, as the game began to stagnate.

Mateus curled a tame free-kick well wide of goal 12 minutes from time after Carr had wrestled him to the ground, earning a booking for his troubles.

Steven Caldwell almost stole a first leg win – and a precious away goal – by nodding Beausejour's deep left wing free kick just over the bar as Elisson again flapped at the cross.

The tie remains on a knife edge at the halfway stage, but Blues will fancy their chances of booking a place in the Europa League proper when they bring the Portuguese side to St Andrew's next Thursday.