LONDON, April 20: A late goal by Mikael Forssell gave Birmingham City a 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday, hauling the midlands club out of the Premier League relegation zone.

The win gave Birmingham 32 points from 35 games, the same as 18th-placed Portsmouth who have an inferior goal difference. The bottom three in the 20-team division go down.

Forssell, a 67th-minute substitute for Emile Heskey, sent the St Andrews crowd wild with delight when he grabbed the winning goal in the 87th minute.

The Finland striker was 12 metres out when he drove in a left-wing cross from Julian Gray with his left foot.

Nicky Butt had given the home team a 62nd-minute lead, converting another centre by Gray from close range.

Blackburn equalised through Birmingham old boy Robbie Savage, the Wales midfielder scoring after goalkeeper Maik Taylor could only parry a shot from substitute Sergio Peter.

Defeat kept Blackburn sixth in the league, three points behind fifth-placed Arsenal having played one game more than the London club. —Reuters