UEFA Cup | Wed, 14 Feb 2007 17:15
Nonda strike gives Rovers hope
By Chris Stanton - Created on 14 Feb 07
Bayer Leverkusen beat Blackburn Rovers 3-2, but Shabani Nonda's late goal will give Mark Hughes' team hope ahead of the second leg of this Uefa Cup tie.
First half strikes from Jan Callsen-Bracker and Carsten Ramelow were added to by Bernd Schneider, and Hughes was grateful for the away goals of David Bentley and the 86th minute strike by Nonda.
Rovers should have been a goal up inside the first minute, however. Bentley crossed and Jason Roberts, with the goal gaping, failed to make contact inside the six-yard box.
Another Bentley cross then saw Benni McCarthy head over at the near post as Rovers had much the better of the opening exchanges.
Leverkusen had seen only a Schneider free-kick blocked but took the lead 18 minutes in after Callsen-Bracker eluded the marking of McCarthy to head home his first senior goal.
Andrei Voronin sliced wide when well placed for the hosts, while, at the other end, McCarthy saw a shot blocked by Hans-Jorg Butt at his near post and Aaron Mokoena shoot wide.
Rovers drew level after Bentley stepped up to drill a free-kick past Butt five minutes before half-time after Roberts had drawn the foul.
Three minutes later Leverkusen regained the lead when Ramelow - who had deflected Bentley's effort - benefited from a deflection of his own, his shot, via the chest of Ryan Nelsen, wrongfooting Brad Friedel.
Just as in the first period, Rovers should have claimed a goal inside 90 seconds of the whistle. Roberts crossed from the right and David Dunn headed wide on the stretch.
But the Germans grew in the second period - Schneider turned Brett Emerton and a left-wing cross flashed wide for the hosts before Michael Skibbe's side doubled their lead.
Rovers' left-back Stephen Warnock was dispossessed by Gonzalo Castro who crossed for Schneider to flick a shot in off the far post.
Rovers had offered precious little as an attacking presence in the second half, but after Bentley's driven free-kick was only half-cleared, Nonda pounced from close range to reduce the arrears.
pederson will be the key player for the return fixture