Larsson makes it 2-0 with an absolute cracker

Blues 'struck Olympic gold' in Shenyang by making it three wins out of three on the Hong Kong/China pre-season tour.

Alex McLeish's men landed a 2-0 victory over Chinese Super League outfit Liaoning Whowin in the Olympic Stadium courtesy of goals from Garry O'Connor and Seb Larsson.

In doing so Blues picked up their third trophy of the visit to the Far East after previously beating a Hong Kong select side 3-2 and Beijing 1-0.

Striker O'Connor, a scorer in both of those games too, started up front for the travelling team with Serbian frontman Nikola Zigic his partner.

The players arrived on the pitch to a frenzy of vuvuzela-blowing fans, most of them also waving Chinese flags that had been handed out free to them outside the ultra-modern ground that hosted football matches at the 2008 Olympics.

The hosts dominated possession in the early moments in front of a crowd in the region of 20,000. In the seventh minute Stuart Parnaby was forced to head Gilcimar's header off the line but the referee had already blown for a foul on goalkeeper Maik Taylor.

Liaoning continued to press but Blues were starting to see more of the ball with midfielder Michel showing his eye for a pass.

On 12 Craig Gardner, who had a really bright start to the game in once again humid conditions, pounced on a loose ball in a central position 25 yards out and struck a sweet right-foot shot that flew past Zhang Lu's outstretched right arm but unfortunately just the wrong side of the post.

With 15 minutes gone Roger Johnson felled Zhao Junzhe as he charged through the middle but although the free-kick was in an extremely promising area it was totally wasted by the Chinese.

Then, on 18, O'Connor made it three goals in three games when Zigic flicked a ball into the path of the advancing Scottish striker. He made strides into the area, on the left-hand side, and rounded the keeper before calmly placing a low shot into the net from a tight angle.

O'Connor slots home his third goal in as many pre-season games

Two minutes later Yang Xu was booked - a rarity in friendly matches - for a late tackle on Gardner that the Blues man quite rightly didn't like at all.

By now McLeish's team were completely on top. Enric Valles started to get more joy down the left and showed on more than one occasion the ability to send over a great cross. The Spaniard also looks no stranger to putting in a tackle too - flair and combativeness in equal measures.

On 27 Valles crossed deep and at first it looked to be over everyone until 6ft 8in Zigic produced a great leap to nod the ball down to O'Connor who took a touch to compose himself, kept his head down and shot just wide of the far post from 16 yards.

Five minutes later Larsson's inswinging corner from the left caused all sorts of problems but Blues couldn't apply the final touch and it fizzed out for a goal-kick.

Blues doubled the scoreline on 38 with a goal of sheer class. Gardner, situated inside the centre circle, lobbed a pass over the Liaoning defence and in doing so carved it in two. Larsson timed his run to perfection and as Lu came off his line the Swede chipped the ball over him with unerring accuracy into the net.

Right on half-time goalscorer Larsson almost turned provider as his excellent right wing cross was met by a thumping Gardner header, however Lu was in the right place to palm away the effort. Seconds later the half-time whistle blew and Blues left the field of play deservedly ahead 2-0.

Valles shows great control to hold off his marker

McLeish made six changes at the break and within minutes of the re-start one of them, Kevin Phillips, stung replacement keeper Cui Kai's fingertips with a sizzling shot from 20 yards.

Liaoning pressed for a goal but the Blues defence looked resolute, with Dann producing more than one perfectly timed tackle or block to hold the team in red at bay. The Chinese though, on the whole, were being restricted to long-range efforts.

On 62 Zigic slid in for the ball eight yards out and got a half decent contact on it but couldn't steer it far enough wide of Kai and the goalie clutched on to it for dear life.

Eight minutes later Carr was booked for what looked like a combination of dissent and kicking the ball away before Liaoning sub Jiang Peng also picked up a yellow card for a foul.

With just over a quarter of an hour remaining 17-year-old Academy scholar Fraser Kerr, a centre-half, came on for Carr. The starlet, who normally plies his trade in Blues' Under-18s side, will no doubt have benefitted hugely from the experience of playing in the 60,000 capacity stadium.

Peng fired high over the bar from the edge of the area as Liaoning speculatively tried to get back in the game, but in reality they were being extremely well marshalled by the Blues back four.

With only a couple of minutes left Taylor superbly tipped Cleber Luis' well hit shot over the bar to play his part in another impressive team performance that means Blues will leave the Far East in a couple of days time with a 100 per cent record from their three pre-season fixtures there.

Liaoning Whowin: Zhang Lu (Cui Kai 46), Wu Gaojun (Zhang Xiaoyu 46), Yang Shanping (Chris 46), Yang Yu (Roumald Boco 46), Zhao Junzhe (Andrea 46), Yang Xu (Jiang Peng 46), Vlatko (Cleber Luis 46), Yu Hanchao (Veldin 46), Chen Xing, Diarra (Ding Jie 46), Gilcimar (Jin Taiyan 46). Unused subs: Xiao Zhen, Li Mou, Sun Weigang, Li Tie.

Blues: Maik Taylor, Stephen Carr (C) (Fraser Kerr 74), Roger Johnson (Liam Ridgewell 46), Scott Dann, Stuart Parnaby (David Murphy 46) Seb Larsson (Jordon Mutch 46), Enric Valles (Keith Fahey 61), Michel (Lee Bowyer 46), Craig Gardner (Barry Ferguson 46), Garry O'Connor (Kevin Phillips 46), Nikola Zigic. Unused subs: Ben Foster, Cameron Jerome

Goals: O'Connor (18), Larsson (38)

Blues celebrate three victories on the bounce in Hong Kong and China

Captain Carr raises aloft the trophy presented for beating Liaoning