IF nothing else, Europe and Birmingham City never cease to amaze and exhilarate.

Looking completely down and out, they staged a rousing comeback to keep the Europa League dream very much alive.

Second-half goals by Jean Beausejour and Marlon King, from the penalty spot, earned them a share of this key Group H showdown.

The way they lifted themselves and transformed the game from such a precarious position has to be commended, and they had Brugge sweating in an exciting, end-to-end second period.

Had Blues not been so ineffective to begin with and fed off an expectant crowd, it perhaps would have been a much more memorable European night.

But that said, there is something about Blues in this competition. They only do drama - and it was here aplenty again after Brugge seemed in command with quickfire goals in a five-minute spell just before the break.

Blues again started sloppily, as they did in Belgium, with passes not finding their mark and more than a hint of nervousness.

It was that getting-to-know you period partly due to eight changes, but on this occasion Blues failed to settle and never really functioned going forward.

Brugge had problems in defence without three of their regular back four because of injury, and goalkeeper Vladan Kujovic making his debut for the dropped Colin Coosemans.

But they had an easy ride and once Brugge came through a spell of Blues possession in the middle of the first-half, they struck right at the end of the half.

The opening goal came from a right wing corner that sailed over all the heads and into Thomas Meunier (39 minutes).

His control to take the ball on the sidefoot and then chest to tee himself up was superb, and he duly lashed in a volley past Wade Elliott, who was stationed on the far post.

It was a slack goal for Blues to concede. They had got caught out with the three Brugge bodies converging on the delivered corner just yards in front of Meunier and left him free behind.

Worse was to come a minute before half-time as Blues ran out of options as they tried to keep the ball and seek an opening through.

Beausejour gave possession away in midfield and Brugge broke to devastating effect.

The ball was slipped to Vadis Odjidja down the right channel into the penalty area and he switched it back square for Joseph Akpala to administer the final touch, a simple tap-in.

Replays showed, however, that Akpala was forward of the assist and offside. The judgment of the assistant referees all night left much to be desired.