Filed under: Birmingham, Europa League (UEFA), Football, Match Reports
Nathan Redmond wrote his name into the Birmingham City history books as their youngest scorer in European competition as Chris Hughton's side booked their place in the group stages.
17-year-old Redmond marked his full debut with his first goal for the club to provide more romance to a memorable night as St Andew's enjoyed its first European night for 50-years.
David Murphy grabbed Birmingham's second goal on the night with a close range header, before Kiwi intenational Chris Wood tapped in Birmingham's third five minutes from time.
THE GOALS:
15 mins: Redmond shows fantastic confidence to cut inside and fire a 25-yard shot into the bottom corner to lift St Andrew's. (1-0)
24 mins: Jean Beausejour's corner is met at the near post by Murphy to power a header in off the underside of the bar. (2-0)
85 mins: Wood gets his reward for a fine performance when Stephen Carr's low pass presents him with a tap-in (3-0)
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
3 mins: Luis Santos sees a 20-yard shot saved well by Boaz Myhill.
36 mins: Redmond goes on a searing run down the left and his cross is met by Chris Burke, shot, but Silva clears off the line.
38 mins: Wood produces an instictive first time shot from Burke's centre and forces Elisson into a low save to his right.
42 mins: Redmond's cross to the near post finds Adam Rooney in space, but the striker heads wide.
49 mins: Rooney is in the clear again at the corner of the six-yard box, but Elisson smothers the danger.
77mins: Rooney beats the offside trap and elects to shoot, when Wood is unmarked to his left and Elisson makes another save.
79 mins: Redmond cuts inside from the left on his favourite right foot and curls a shot beyond the 'keeper and off the far post.
WHAT IT MEANS: Manager Chris Hughtoay feel that qualification will test his squad to the limit and hamper Birmingham's bid for a return to the Premier League, but only time will tell if an added six fixtures will cause problems or raise morale. The beauty of the night means that Redmond has proved he has what it takes to operate at first team level and Birmingham will have to work out how best to manage their young star.
REACTION:
Hughton was delighted at the performance of his team in reaching the group stages:
"I am extremely proud of the team after what was a really tough game for us. Nacional was always a threat for us and they were dangerous on the break."
On the performance of Redmond:
"He is a lad that is very highly rated at the club and what he has done in the game is an end product of that ability.
"He is prepared to work really hard going forward and back. We know that he will have
downs when he is out of the team and we have put him in a little quicker than we would have liked, but he is enjoying it.
"To get a goal made it even more refreshing to see him, but it is up to us to make sure that we look after him and manage him, because he is only a young man."
On the impact he can have as a local boy on his own fans:
"I have been around long enough to know that your own crowd like nothing better than to see a home grown player doing well and he certainly did that."
On how far the club can go in the competition:
"Who knows. It is important that we qualified. Whether we need the extra games is a moot point, but you only have to look at the performance."
"Our team was a team that wanted to win and the home fans came expecting a big night. When they are behind you like that it only adds to the euphoria."
Ivo Vieira the CD Nacional manager knew that his side faced a difficult task:
"We are not surprised by this. We knew that Birmingham were strong. They are in the competition because they beat Arsenal in the Cup final. So it was a difficult game for us."
On how his team started the game:
"I thought that we did well in the first 15 minutes and looked strong. They did not have a shot at our goal, but they are a big side and they are strong in the air."
On the fact that Birmingham are a Championship side:
"That did not mean anything to us. We knew that just because they are not in the Premier League, that they would be difficult opponents."
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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/08/25/birmingham-3-cd-nacional-0-nathan-redmonds-brilliant-debut-lig/
Owen Hargreaves Paolo Maldini Patrick Vieira Paul Casey Paul Scholes
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