Match ends, Birmingham City 0, Bournemouth 2.
BirminghamBirmingham City0BournemouthAFC Bournemouth2
Bournemouth maintained their amazing record at St Andrew's as two late second-half goals ended Birmingham City's unbeaten start to the season.
On a ground where the Cherries have never lost in 13 visits they looked there for the taking at half-time, having failed to get a single effort on target.
But Scott Parker's side kept their cool with a much-improved display after the break, capped by Dominic Solanke's excellently taken 77th-minute opener, followed by Jaidon Anthony's 87th-minute second to secure the three points.
Bournemouth are one of six unbeaten Championship sides on seven points from three games.
Having heavily beaten MK Dons in the EFL Cup, then drawn 2-2 at home to West Brom in the first league game, Saturday's win at Nottingham Forest came at a cost when Bournemouth had creative spark David Brooks sent off.
Without the suspended midfielder, and continued speculation that Dutch winger Arnaut Danjuma is about to move to La Liga side Villarreal, it made for an unsettled backdrop on their latest trip to their favourite away ground.
Blues, again playing in front of a vastly-reduced 9,922 crowd as two sides of St Andrew's await safety certificates, had the better of the first half in which most of their best moments came through Tahith Chong.
The on-loan Manchester United winger sparked the first opening when he cut in from the right to test keeper Mark Travers with a left-foot shot.
The Cherries, by contrast, did not manage a single effort on target. But it was a different story after the break.
Blues went into the game still to concede their first goal after successive 1-0 wins at Sheffield United and Colchester in the EFL Cup, followed by Saturday's home 0-0 draw with Stoke City. But the Cherries' two late goals ruined the chance of a fourth straight clean sheet for Lee Bowyer's side.
First Solanke latched onto Ben Pearson's through ball, held off Marc Roberts and steered a low right-foot shot across Matija Sarkic into the far corner. Anthony then pounced to hook home Zeno Ibsen Rossi's knockdown.
Birmingham City boss Lee Bowyer told BBC Radio WM:
"We created some good chances but didn't take them. We just didn't get that little bit of luck you need.
"The scoreline flattered them, but we've taken a good team all the way.
"They had to change their shape to get through us. Even then, it was only a half chance.
"It was the first shot they'd had on target and it was handball too. He nudged it into his path with his hand, but the linesman couldn't keep up with play."
Bournemouth manager Scott Parker told BBC Radio Solent:
"We had to be patient. The first half we huffed and puffed a little bit and I didn't think we were at our best in terms of tempo of our game.
"Second half I asked the guys to inject a little more pace and then Dominic Solanke scores a lovely goal and then we work a good set-piece and see out the game very comfortably.
"Dominic is a focal point for us in terms of how he works out of possession and I'm really pleased he got his goal tonight as well.
"The players have been absolutely fantastic so far. We've been stretched for numbers, but they've worked very hard in the eight weeks they've been together and they're getting the just rewards."
Line-ups
Birmingham
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 13Sarkic
- 4Roberts
- 12Dean
- 3PedersenBooked at 73mins
- 2Colin
- 20Gardner
- 6Woods
- 11Bela
- 7ChongSubstituted forSánchezat 87'minutes
- 14LekoSubstituted forHoganat 79'minutes
- 10JutkiewiczSubstituted forAnekeat 70'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Friend
- 9Hogan
- 15Aneke
- 17Sánchez
- 23Familia-Castillo
- 27Trueman
- 34Sunjic
Bournemouth
Formation 4-3-3
- 42Travers
- 6Mepham
- 35Rossi
- 5Kelly
- 33Zemura
- 29Billing
- 26Kilkenny
- 11MarcondesSubstituted forStanislasat 60'minutes
- 20DavisSubstituted forPearsonat 69'minutes
- 9Solanke
- 32Anthony
Substitutes
- 1Nyland
- 19Stanislas
- 22Pearson
- 28Taylor
- 38Saydee
- 39Moriah-Welsh
- 44Camp
- Referee:
- Andy Davies
- Attendance:
- 9,922
Match Stats
Home TeamBirminghamAway TeamBournemouth
- Possession
- Home35%
- Away65%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home5
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Birmingham City 0, Bournemouth 2.
Post update
Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Marc Roberts (Birmingham City).
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Attempt missed. Gary Gardner (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Iván Sánchez.
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Attempt missed. Philip Billing (Bournemouth) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Junior Stanislas.
Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Iván Sánchez replaces Tahith Chong.
Goal!
Goal! Birmingham City 0, Bournemouth 2. Jaidon Anthony (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Zeno Rossi with a headed pass following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Marc Roberts.
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Attempt blocked. Junior Stanislas (Bournemouth) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Jordan Zemura (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Tahith Chong (Birmingham City).
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Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Maxime Colin.
Post update
Junior Stanislas (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Chuks Aneke (Birmingham City).
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Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Zeno Rossi.
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Gavin Kilkenny (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Chuks Aneke (Birmingham City).
Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Scott Hogan replaces Jonathan Leko.
Post update
Foul by Philip Billing (Bournemouth).
Comments
Join the conversation
like Monk, Bowyer will soon find out that board will not back him in key areas and give him the players he needs.
Anyway we’re better off in championship, which personally I think is one the best leagues in the world as a competitive league
One wonders how many will get back in considering how well some of the 2nd string have been playing
UTCIAD
We need a goal scorer.
Blues didn’t have a bad game and Bournemouth are one of the top teams to beat and we fell short near the end
A couple more players is all we need so we don’t have a season like last year or else we might it might be another long year