Blackburn:4 FK Vetra: 0 (Blackburn win 6-0 on aggregate): Hughes 'excited' as Cruz swells attacking options
Monday, 30 July 2007
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Mark Hughes, the Blackburn Rovers manager, hopes Roque Santa Cruz will have the same kind of impact in his debut season in England as Benni McCarthy. The 25-year-old Paraguay striker, who will have his first training session today after sealing a four-year deal at Ewood Park, aims to make the most of his challenge after a reported £3.5m move from Bayern Munich.
Hughes secured McCarthy's services from Porto for £2.5m and the South African responded with 24 goals in all competitions last season. "I am delighted to get Santa Cruz," Hughes said. "He brings quality and technical ability. He will complement the very good strikers I have. Competition is good. I am very excited at what's in store."
McCarthy was on target for the second week running against FK Vetra as Blackburn recorded a 6-0 aggregate win, following a 4-0 victory on the day in the third and final round of the Intertoto Cup. It means they go into the hat for the second qualifying round of the Uefa Cup next month, with the draw on Friday.
Morten Gamst Pedersen opened the scoring in the 25th minute, powering home David Bentley's cross. Vetra caved in following Dejan Milosevki's sending off five minutes from half-time, and Jason Roberts added a second in the 48th minute with a tap-in.
McCarthy showed superb skill to score from inside the area in the 54th minute. Then 60 seconds later Christopher Samba got on the end of a Pedersen free-kick to head the ball home.
Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Friedel; Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock; Bentley, Mokoena (Dunn, 53), Savage, Pedersen; McCarthy (Derbyshire, 57), Roberts (Rigters, 57). Substitutes not used: Enckelman (gk), Tugay, Henchoz, Gallagher.
FK Vetra (4-4-2): Zutautas; Milosevski, Bozinovski, Azizi (Karcemarskas, 74), Panka (Raliukonis, 82); Usachev, Sasnauskas, Skerla, Severino; Juska (Vezevicius, 58), Botelho. Substitutes not used: Kozyrev (gk), Stankevicius, Celiuk, Butrimavicius.
Referee: M Weiner (Germany).
