The Premier League football match between Birmingham City and Sunderland at St Andrews on Saturday Oct 24, 2009.
Birmingham City welcomed their new owners to St Andrew's with a victory over Sunderland, a lavish celebration by their own standards at the home team managed to score twice in a Premier League game for the first time this season.
While Carson Yeung, the Hong Kong businessman who has taken control of the club, could afford a smile in the directors' box, the mood of Sunderland manager Steve Bruce more resembled a
His return, though, was blighted by Birmingham's desire to impress their new bosses and a relatively attacking 4-4-2 formation favoured by manager Alex McLeish.
It almost reaped its rewards when Chucho, the Ecuadorian forward making a rare start up front, supplied a centre for James McFadden that Kieran Richardson blocked bravely.
The creator almost opened his Birmingham account seconds later when Craig Gordon saved at the near post but the goal that had been threatening finally arrived in the 37th minute, albeit with more than a hint of offside.
Seb Larsson floated over a free kick from the left where Liam Ridgewell's knee got the final touch inside the six yard box.
They doubled that lead two! minutes after half time when Cameron Jerome flicked on Lar! sson's p ass to McFadden. The Scotland player composed himself, cut inside Phillip Bardsely and curled a fine finish into the bottom corner of the net.
Bruce's hopes of a happy return were revived when the jittery Joe Hart allowed Michael Turner to deflect Andy Reid's cross towards goal where Birmingham defender Scott Dann completed the job with a luckless own goal.
In a frantic finale, Darren Bent and substitute Frazier Campbell might have snatched a draw but without a stray beach ball anywhere in sight, Birmingham hung on deservedly for their first home win since Aug 19.
