Premier League: Birmingham 0 Fulham 2

Birmingham City’s Premier League survival hangs in the balance after a final home 2-0 loss to Fulham.

Two goals from defender Brede Hangeland proved to be the undoing as a very nervous home side struggled to get into the game.

Fulham almost took the lead in bizarre fashion early on.

Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer’s long kick up field was allowed to bounce by Roger Johnson and almost caught out Ben Foster.

Fortunately the Birmingham ‘keeper managed to claw the ball away.

However, from the resulting corner they took the lead, Hangeland rising highest to head in Jonathan Greening’s cross.

Fulham could have been out of sight by half time with further chances as Andy Johnson headed wide, Steve Sidwell was allowed to run half the length of the pitch before shooting into the arms of Foster and Bobby Zamora’s header hit a post.

The closest Birmingham came to scoring was when the ball skimmed off Martin Jiranek’s chest from a cross, the ball flicking the post before going wide.

Fulham continued pressing after the break as Zamora headed into Foster’s arms, before being put clear but failing to chip the keeper.

Then Sidwell fired a vicious shot against the post before the same combination from the first goal conjured the second.

Greening’s corner found its way to Zamora. His close range header was cleared off the line by Barry Ferguson, but Hangeland was there to volley home the rebound.

Further chances came for substitute Eidur Gudjohnsen, who shot wide and Clint Dempsey, who forced Foster into a low save.

The home side pressed in the latter stages but failed to create any decent chances while Birmingham’s afternoon got worse when substitute Alexander Hleb limped off with an injury, forcing them to play the final 10 minutes with 10 men as they had already made their three changes.