Blackburn book Uefa Cup spot
Hughes can look forward to another continental campaign
Saturday, 28, Jul 2007 06:18
Blackburn Rovers confirmed their place in the Uefa Cup for the forthcoming season with a comprehensive 4-0 defeat of Lithuanian side Vetra at Ewood Park.
Mark Hughes' side already had a two-goal advantage earned from the first leg of the Intertoto Cup third round clash, but were free to press forward in search of more goals against their outclassed visitors.
Morten Gamst Pedersen opened the scoring after 25 minutes as he nodded home a raking cross from David Bentley.
The hosts were given even more encouragement to attack as their opponents were reduced to ten men by the dismissal of Dejan Miloseski for a second yellow card.
Three minutes after the break Pedersen again exposed the Vetra defence, as the Norwegian midfielder wriggled to the byline before cutting the ball back for Jason Roberts to fire home.
After a stunning bicycle kick from Benni McCarthy had brought the crowd to their feet and made it 3-0, Pedersen looked to have scored the second goal his all-round performance merited.
On closer inspection however his swirling free-kick was glanced in by the forehead of Christopher Samba and the defender was credited with a rare goal.