Bayern Munich’s Jose Paolo Guerrero (front) and Hertha Berlin’s Dick van Burik during their Bundesliga match in Berlin on Tuesday. The match ended 0-0. (Reuters)

London: Goals from Mikael Forssell and Julian Gray led Birmingham City to a 2-1 home win over second division leaders Reading in their FA Cup fourth round replay on Tuesday. In the night’s other replay, Preston North End won 2-1 at second division rivals Crystal Palace thanks to a late goal by Danny Dichio, who had also scored their first.

Forssell put Premier League strugglers Birmingham ahead after 30 minutes at St Andrews when he took a pass from Jermaine Pennant and wriggled past two defenders. His first effort was saved by Graham Stack but the Finland striker slotted home the rebound.

Reading, 10 points clear in the second division, went close to an equaliser a minute later when Steve Sidwell hit the post. The visitors eventually got back on level terms six minutes into the second half, Stephen Hunt taking advantage of indecision in the Birmingham defence to volley powerfully into the roof of the net from 15 metres.

Birmingham, third from bottom in the standings, secured a fifth round visit to second division Stoke City when Gray headed in a cross by Jiri Jarosik in the 67th minute.

Dichio grabbed the decider in the 87th minute at Selhurst Park to give Preston a tie against the winners of Wednesday's replay between Middlesbrough and Coventry City. Darren Ward had put Palace ahead after 25 minutes with a header but Dichio equalised with a header of his own nine minutes later.

Fifth round matches will be played on February 18-19.

Late goal puts Nice into first League Cup final

Meanwhile in France, Nice reached the League Cup final for the first time after a late winner by substitute Honorato Ederson gave them a 1-0 win over neighbours Monaco on Tuesday.

Ederson, who replaced Mamadou Bagayoko in the second half, headed home Sebastien Roudet’s cross two minutes from time to set up a final against Nancy or Le Mans, who play on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, Hertha Berlin held visiting Bayern Munich to a goalless draw in the Bundesliga on Tuesday, offering a glimmer of hope to the chasing sides in Germany.

Hertha had by far the better chances in the second half at the Olympic Stadium and only a series of fine saves from Oliver Kahn kept the champions in the game.

Bayern, who have a record 51 points from 20 matches, remain well-placed to win their 20th German title but their lead will be cut to six points if second-placed Werder Bremen win at VfB Stuttgart. Hamburg SV, in third place with 41 points, can also close the gap behind the champions with a victory at Hanover 96.