Stalemate at Swansea as Birmingham draw a blank

Posted Sunday, March 20, 2022 by PA

Swansea held on for a 0-0 draw against a Birmingham side who dominated the contest in south Wales.

Neither team has anything more than pride to play for in the Championship but it was Birmingham, who started the day in 20th place, who were the hungrier side as the hosts laboured in the sunshine.

The draw lifted Lee Bowyer’s men to 19th in the table, 14 points clear of the bottom three, while Swansea, who started brightly but faded fast, dropped to 16th – one place and two points above bitter rivals Cardiff.

Russell Martin’s Swans lost Jamie Paterson in the warm-up, with Korey Smith drafted in as a last-minute replacement, but they did not let that setback affect them as they set about Birmingham in the opening stages.

Hannes Wolf could have given the hosts a sixth-minute lead but he tried and failed to pick out Michael Obafemi rather than take a shot.

Defender Kyle Naughton tried his luck from distance soon after but he fired high and wide following a fine run upfield.

The visitors took a while to get into their stride but fashioned the best chance of the first half in the 13th minute when Juninho Bacuna blazed over from close range after being teed up perfectly by Tahith Chong’s clever cutback.

Blues captain Gary Gardner then saw a shot easily dealt with by Andy Fisher in the Swansea goal after more good work from Manchester United loanee Chong.

Swansea threatened through top scorer Joel Piroe, who had a shot palmed away by Neil Etheridge before attempting a back-heel flicked effort from Cyrus Christie’s cross but Etheridge was again equal to it. Olivier Ntcham also curled off target from the edge of the area.

At the other end, Birmingham wasted another big chance five minutes before the break. Onel Hernandez beat his man and fizzed in a cross from the left for Chong, who could only divert the ball over the bar from point-blank range.

Chong did test Fisher 10 minutes into the second half, but the Swansea keeper was able to palm away his fierce drive.

Hernandez then cut inside from the left and saw his powerful shot deflected behind before Chong had another effort diverted past the post by the home defence.

And Maxime Colin somehow volleyed over from a corner with the goal at his mercy as Birmingham stepped up the pressure in front of the travelling fans.

Fisher was called into action again with 14 minutes left on the clock as he stopped Scott Hogan’s glancing header with a flying catch.

Swansea created almost nothing in the second half until Piroe fired straight at Etheridge in the final minute.