Carling Cup: Birmingham
City vs. Milton Keynes Dons – Half Time Report
The Carling Cup finally started as the emerging stars of all the teams are given a chance to shine and show their worth.
Birmingham City are a side who have recently signed players like Alexander Hleb and Nikola Zigic and are considered a mid-table club in the English Premier League.
Milton Keynes Dons, conversely, are a team currently in the third tier of English football. The match was supposed to be one-sided, but one can never forecast well in cup fixtures.
The game was held at St. Andrews and
Taylor was assigned the keeper’s gloves for Birmingham
City. In front of him was a defense that consisted of Parnaby, Johnson, Jiranek and Murphy. The formation played by the host team was
4-4-2 and it was the new signing Alexander Hleb who featured at his favourite right wing position. Fahey also featured in the midfield alongside Michel. The two strikers that played for the home side were Zigic and Derbyshire.
On the other hand, MK Dons played their first team as they tried to prove themselves. The captain of the team, David Martin, was the goalie. His defenders were Woodards, Doumbe, O'Hanlon and Lewington. The away team were
playing a 4-4-1-1 formation and the four midfielders that featured were Lewis Guy, Carrington, Leven and Balanta. The two strikers were Chadwick and Easter and they were the ones who were responsible for scoring goals.
Birmingham City took advantage of the home crowd and set about to dominate the game. However, it was the away team that was trying to create chances and Lewis Guy was the one who was
ruled offside multiple times early on in the game. Michel left the pitch for
Gardner right in the first half and in the 23rd minute it was the new signing Alexander Hleb who made it 1-0 for the home team. He managed to score a goal from just inside the penalty area as he drove the ball into
the bottom left corner.
With the home side gaining an early advantage, they took control and started playing possession football while simultaneously going after a second. Soon, the home team scored another goal as another newly signed striker Zigic
managed to score. The match seemed done and dusted by now as it was doubtful that the Dons could force their way back into the game.
Two minutes after the second goal, Craig Gardner pretty much condemned the match to the books after a neat finish to put
Birmingham up by three goals.
Balanta was taken off in the 30th minute and Jabo Ibehre took his place in the midfield.
Birmingham were now totally in control of the match and they were simply toying with the away team. This new
Birmingham side proved to be really tough and the side were hoping to add to their undefeated streak at
St. Andrews. They’ve gone 17 games unbeaten at St. Andrews and if they emerge victorious tonight – as is incredibly likely – they will have gone undefeated at home for 18 games.
The first half ended with Birmingham
City leading the match 3-0 and the away side looking completely distraught.
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