Blues win the League Cup at Wembley

Birmingham City have won the League Cup, beating Arsenal 2-1 in the final at Wembley on 27 February to claim their first major trophy in almost half a century.

Obafemi Martins scored the winner in the 89th minute, pouncing on a mix-up in the Arsenal defence, after Nikola Žigić had given Blues the lead in the first half and Robin van Persie had equalised.

A shock result

Arsenal went into the game as clear favourites. Arsène Wenger's side had beaten Birmingham twice in the league this season, 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium and 3-0 at St Andrew's on New Year's Day, and were challenging for the Premier League title.

But Blues, managed by Alex McLeish, defended superbly, with goalkeeper Ben Foster making a series of fine saves, and took their chance at the end. Foster was named man of the match.

Arsenal were without several key players, including captain Cesc Fàbregas and Theo Walcott, who were both injured in a match against Stoke City a few days before the final.

First trophy since 1963

It is only the second major trophy in Birmingham City's history. Their only previous League Cup win came in 1963, when they beat their local rivals Aston Villa 3-1 on aggregate in a two-legged final.

Blues also reached the final in 2001, when they lost to Liverpool on penalties at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. This was their first appearance in a major final at Wembley since the 1956 FA Cup final.

The road to Wembley

On the way to the final, Blues beat Aston Villa in a memorable quarter-final at St Andrew's, with Žigić scoring the winner, and then West Ham United in the semi-final.

Europe beckons

The victory earns Birmingham a place in next season's Europa League, the club's first European campaign for decades.

A fight on two fronts

The celebrations will be tempered by the club's position in the Premier League, where Blues are in a battle to avoid relegation. McLeish will now hope the confidence from the win will help his team climb clear of danger in the final months of the season.

They also remain in the FA Cup, and face Bolton Wanderers in the quarter-finals next month.

A day to remember

Around 30,000 Blues supporters made the trip to Wembley, and the scenes of celebration at the final whistle will live long in the memory. For a club that has spent much of its history in the shadow of its more successful neighbours, and whose supporters have endured years of disappointment, this is a day to savour.

It is a result that will be talked about in Birmingham for years to come.