EPL Round 2: Birmingham City vs Sunderland AFC

By: Lucas | August 15th, 2007

I don’t know much about Birmingham, other than that they went down with Sunderland two seasons ago, and came back up with them last time, finishing only 2 points behind the Cats at the top of the Championship table. After City’s performance at Stamford Bridge on Saturday - a game which they led early before finally succumbing to a Michael Essien blast in a 3-2 thriller - I think it’s safe to say they’ll stay in the top flight after this season.

Paul McShane So this will be another early season test as SAFC look to establish that they too belong up here. I don’t think Keane and the boys will take any team lightly this year, whether it’s a fellow promoted side like Brum or a supposed Champions League hopeful like we saw last weekend in Spurs. I know Keano is fond of shuffling his lineup, so I would expect to see at least a couple of changes from the squad that defeated Tottenham. I’m looking for Chopra to get the start up front and for the tenacious Paul McShane to remain affixed in the back line. Keane likes the kid for his attitude and determination, comparing him to today’s coaching oppenent and former teammate at Man Utd., Steve Bruce.

Will the Black Cats continue their impressive start, grabbing some points at Birmingham? I will try my best to follow on the innernets while I’m supposed to be “working” today, and post updates here.

And we are off!

FT 2:2 - What a finish (I assume it must have been, for those lucky enough to see it)! Sunderland again gets a goal from Michael Chopra, and again gets a goal from a substitute, again very late in the game. Stern John is the hero this time, scoring at 90′ after hitting the bar a few minutes earlier. I will have more to write later, after I get some lunch and perhaps a little celebratory whiskey after work.

90′ - GOAL Sunderland: Viva Trinidad & Tobago! Second half stub Stern John has salvaged a point for the Black Cats with a goal, headed in off a free kick and save. SAFC again at the death!

84′ - Sub for Birmingham: Mikael Forssell (who assisted on the 2nd City goal) off for Cameron Jerome.

83′ - Stern John just headed the ball off the crossbar. UGH!

82′ - GOAL Birmingham - The extra ‘R’ has paid off for Steve Bruce, with Garry O’Connor scoring just 7 minutes after Sunderland had equalized. Sunderland are pressuring and may have gotten caught against the run of play.

75′ - GOAL Sunderland - Chops has done it again! Off a cross from Etuhu, Michael Chopra scores from about the same spot he did against Spurs last weekend. 1-1, come on lads!

70′ - Sub for Sunderland: Roy O’Donovan in for Greg Halford. SAFC applying a lot of pressure (if the innernets are to be believed) but still cannot manage so much as a shot on goal.

65′ - Sub for Birmingham: Garry O’Connor in for Gary McSheffrey. Perhaps Steve Bruce believes there to be more oomph in the extra ‘R’ in the name?

58′ - Two subs for Sunderland: Whitehead and Connolly off, Liam Miller and Stern John on.

52′ - The first card of the match is a yellow to Sunderland’s Dickson Etuhu for unsporting behavior. Sunderland continue to control possession, yet still cannot get shots on goal.

47′ - No subs for either team. Birmingham already put a shot on goal. Come on, Sunderland!

HT - Birmingham 1 : 0 Sunderland - I expect some kind of blood sacrifice at halftime, and perhaps a substitution up front (2 shots, neither on goal, in the first 45). Recently signed Corkman Roy O’Donovan, maybe?

28′ - GOAL Birmingham - Paul McShane - he who is pictured above, next to the words of praise from his manager, the terrifying Roy Keane - has scored an own goal. 1-nil City. Oh dear…

27′ - A couple of Carlos Edwards corners and a Dean Whitehead shot. Sunderland applying some pressure.

25′ - Still no shots for SAFC. According to the innernets, it’s 53% to 47% possession in favor of the Blues.

13′ - Teams exchange corner kicks. City midfielder Gary McSheffrey takes the first shot of the game (off target). I’d like to point out that I saw McSheffrey last year when he was with Coventry City, who played a friendly here against my Portland Timbers (USL D1).

9′ - Not much happening yet. 3 fouls committed thus far by B’ham, perhaps indicating the Black Cats are having the better of the run of play.

**Starting Lineups:**
Birmingham	Sunderland
13 Colin Doyle (G)	(G) Craig Gordon 1
16 Johan Djourou (D)	(D) Greg Halford 2
2 Stephen Kelly (D)	(D) Paul McShane 6
21 Stuart Parnaby (D)	(D) Nyron Nosworthy 5
6 Liam Ridgewell (D)	(M) Danny Collins 15
23 Olivier Kapo (M)	(M) Carlos Edwards 7
7 Sebastian Larsson (M)	(M) Dickson Etuhu 4
11 Gary McSheffrey (M)	(M) Ross Wallace 33
26 Fabrice Muamba (M)	(M) Dean Whitehead 8
12 Mehdi Nafti (M)	(S) Michael Chopra 16
9 Mikael Forssell (S)	(S) David Connolly 31

Birmingham Subs: 1 Taylor (G), 24 Jaidi (D), 19 Vine (S), 10 Jerome (S), 8 O’Connor (S)
Sunderland Subs: 13 Ward (G), 12 Miller (M), 14 John (S), 21 Anderson (D), 23 O’Donovan (S)