Blackburn 3-0 Basle

By Mike Burnett

Tugay's long-range effort propels Blackburn to victory

Late goals from Tugay, Francis Jeffers and Benni McCarthy clinched the win against Basle that keeps Blackburn top of Group E in the Uefa Cup.

Tugay broke the deadlock with a wonder goal in the 75th minute, unleashing a 30-yard shot into the top right-hand corner of Basle's net.

Jeffers then converted a penalty after Morten Gamst Pedersen was brought down by Reto Zanni in the 89th minute.

McCarthy completed the win, firing home deep in injury time.

Interview: Blackburn boss Mark Hughes

After a run of three successive defeats - two in the Premiership and one in the Carling Cup - Rovers were able to distract themselves from domestic troubles by moving another step closer to the knockout stages in Europe.

However, Basle, who held Feyenoord to a 1-1 draw a fortnight ago, proved to be a tougher challenge than the final scoreline suggested.

606 DEBATE: Give your thoughts on the Uefa Cup action

In the first half alone, the Swiss side could have been 3-0 up through Mladen Petric, who terrorised the Blackburn defence.

His best chance was a forceful header and he was denied only by keeper Brad Friedel's instinctive right-foot block in the 17th minute.

At the other end, Blackburn's opportunities looked limited, especially after combative midfielder Robbie Savage pulled up with a thigh injury 10 minutes before the break.

Against the run of play, winger David Bentley undeservedly came closest moments before the interval, blasting Shabani Nonda's cross-field ball over the bar from 12 yards out.

A less timid Blackburn side emerged from the tunnel for the start of the second half, putting Basle on the back foot until the hour mark.

But it was left to the explosive right-foot of 36-year-old Tugay to give Mark Hughes' men the lead.

The veteran midfielder rifled an exquisite, long-range effort into the corner after skipping away from Petric.

One goal would have been enough but Blackburn confirmed the win minutes before full-time as Pedersen went over in the box and substitute Jeffers drilled the spot-kick straight down the middle.

McCarthy then completed the late show in stoppage time after Paul Gallagher's shot had been blocked.

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Blackburn boss Mark Hughes: 
"We had to show patience and in the second half we kept probing, trying to draw them out.

"It was a fantastic goal from Tugay, he's playing exceptionally well this year, and from that point we were never going to lose it.

"We deserved the win, it was a really professional European performance."

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Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Ooijer, Khizanishvili, Gray, Bentley, Savage (Mokoena 38), Kerimoglu (Gallagher 84), Pedersen, Nonda (Jeffers 83), McCarthy.
Subs Not Used: Brown, McEveley, Derbyshire, Peter.

Booked: Gray, Mokoena.

Goals: Kerimoglu 75, Jeffers 89 pen, McCarthy 90.

Basle: Costanzo, Zanni, Majstorovic, Ba, Chipperfield, Rakitic (Cristiano 55), Kuzmanovic, Sterjovski, Eduardo (Buckley 64), Ergic, Petric.
Subs Not Used: Crayton, Nakata, Burgmeier, Berner, Kavelashvili.

Booked: Kuzmanovic, Costanzo.

Att: 13,789

Ref: Oleh Oriekhov (Ukraine).