Monday April 25, 2011 Day 34 Finished Ewood Park

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  1. Dzeko boosts City hopes

    Dzeko boosts City hopes

    Edin Dzeko came off the bench to fire Manchester City to a vital 1-0 Premier League win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Blackburn Rovers
    • Manchester City
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this match from 00:01 on Tuesday morning (UK only).
    • 90'+6 There goes the final whistle! All over at Ewood Park! And City register a crucial win! Blackburn, meanwhile, are in deep trouble.
    • 90'+5 City should be able to run the clock down now...
    • 90'+4 Olsson cracks an effort on target from the free-kick and Hart is forced into making a save low down to his right!
    • 90'+3 Robinson launches one downfield and Rovers win a free-kick... nervy times for City...
    • 90'+2 Could be a second for City! Toure seeks to exploit holes at the back for Blackburn! But he can't apply the finishing touch!
    • 90'+1 Five minutes of added time to be played...
    • 90' Here comes a final change for City: Silva off, Boyata on.
    • 89' Dzeko goes down after taking a blow to the face in an aerial challenge with Jermaine Jones.
    • 88' Chance for Blackburn to grab an equaliser! Rochina clips a free-kick into the box, but Jones fires his header over the bar!
    • 87' Olsson gets in a decent position but his pinged cross is overhit.
    • 86' Silva goes off on a mazy run, but it comes to nothing in the end.
    • 85' Blackburn make another change: Diouf for Givet, as Rovers chase the game in the final few minutes.
    • 84' Off goes Balotelli, who is replaced by Vieira.
    • 80' To be fair, that's quite harsh on Blackburn, who had done ever so well this half.
    • 78' Salgado catches Balotelli and the Italian falls to the floor in typically theatrical fashion.
    • 77' As things stand, City will go four points clear of Spurs, with four games to play. The Champions League beckons for City!
    • 76' That's Dzeko's first goal in the Premier League and what a time to open his account!
    • 75' GOAL! DZEKO! What an impact the sub has! Silva screws a pass across goal... Jones's attempted clearance comes out to Dzeko, who keeps his cool and buries it!
    • 74' Kolarov! Oooh! Great strike from the Serb! Robinson is equal to it though!
    • 73' So, Balotelli stays on, even though he looks like a bomb that about to explode.
    • 72' And City make a change too: Dzeko on for Johnson.
    • 71' Blackburn substitution: Kalinic on for Benjani.
    • 70' There'll be another booking here, this time for Emerton for a sliding challenge on Kolorov.
    • 69' At the other end, great work from Benjani as he cuts inside and lets fly! But his shot lets him down - it's tame and pulled wide of the upright.
    • 68' Ooh! Silva's threat remains, even if City are rarely getting into the Blackburn half at the moment! He curls a bender just wide of Robinson's post!
    • 67' Salgado defies his years by taking on Toure - and winning a corner!
    • 66' It's teed up for Samba to strike from a free-kick! Silva is the brave man who gets in the way!
    • 65' Balotelli shows his frustration at referee Marriner as he doesn't get the free-kick he wanted for a foul by Jermaine Jones... he needs to be careful..
    • 64' Samba again makes a nuisance of himself at a set piece...
    • 63' Here is comes... Rochina for Dunn.
    • 62' Rovers are going to make a change...
    • 61' Balotelli chases down a long ball... Jones is there to make a timely challenge.
    • 60' An hour on the clock and it's still goalless, but it's Blackburn who look the more likely to break the deadlock at the moment.
    • 59' De Jong is booked for a wild lunge on Olsson... he didn't catch the Rovers man, but it was a reckless challenge nonetheless.
    • 58' Only Blackpool (8) have picked up fewer Premier League points in 2011 than Rovers (Blackburn are unbeaten in four North West derbies at Ewood Park this season, winning three and drawing the other.
    • 57' The away team hasn’t scored in any of City’s last eight games in all competitions.
    • 56' Dunn now moves off towards the City box with intent... his little ball looking for Roberts if telegraphed though and the move breaks down.
    • 55' Olsson hares off again on a forward foray, but Kompany runs the ball out.
    • 54' Nothing comes of the free-kick but the hosts come again soon enough, this time Olsson firing into the side netting with a speculative shot.
    • 53' Rovers have started this half in determined mood. They win another free-kick, and there will be another chance to get a ball into the box.
    • 52' Balotellis goes into the book for a silly foul on Givet. The Italian can't believe it, but what does he expect making challenges like that?
    • 51' What a chance that was to break the deadlock - and Roberts knows it.
    • 50' Chance for Blackburn! Salgado does really well to release Emerton on the right... his ball in is a beauty but Roberts misjudges it totally and he can't get enough on his header to get the ball on target! Olsson then slides in at the back stick but can only direct his effort into the side netting!
    • 48' Toure sees a header tipped over by Robinson! Great chance to open the scoring early in the first half!
    • 46' Back under way at Ewood! No changes for either side to tell you about at the break.
    • 45'+2 And there goes the half-time whistle! Goalless at the break, but it's been an entertaining 45 of football!
    • 45'+1 Just a minute of added time to be played.
    • 45' Silva heads back across the face of goal, but Balotelli slips and the ball is put behind for a corner.
    • 44' Toure bursts free for City now as the game opens right up! This City attack is repelled but City will come again...
    • 43' Johnson has switched sides for the time being and his cross from the left has Robinson diving to punch clear.
    • 42' Another spot of head tennis leads to the ball falling to Samba, who cracks an effort on the volley on target! Blocked! The big man's proving to be a threat at the City end.
    • 41' Lovely play from Roberts, whose excellent delivery from wide is turned behind by Zabaleta.
    • 39' Samba again goes close with a header, this time a towering one that flies wide of the far post!
    • 38' It falls to Balotelli from the corner... he fires at goal but Givet gets in the way and the ball bounces kindly into Robinson's arms.
    • 37' At the other end, Kolorov spins and shoots in the box and he wins a corner.
    • 36' Ooh! Emerton delivers a great ball in for Benjani, but it flicks off the Zimbabwean's head and away to safety for City.
    • 35' Samba heads wide of the mark from the corner. Hart wasn't troubled at all.
    • 34' Jones runs onto Olsson neat back heel and he's into the City box... but it just runs away from him at the last minute... corner nevertheless!
    • 33' Blackburn can break here, with Emerton who give it to Olsson... but his pass goes straight out of play and the move breaks down as quickly as it appeared.
    • 32' Roberts looks to bulldoze his way through the City defence... no dice this time.
    • 31' Just over half an hour gone and Blackburn's tactics of frustrating City and looking to hit on the break have so far worked.
    • 30' Dunn steps up to take the resulting free-kick, but Hart is well behind it to make a comfortable save.
    • 29' Olsson now is on the receiving end of a strong body check by Barry, who is booked for his aggression.
    • 28' Zabaleta has his ankle stood on by Olsson, but credit to the City man, he makes no meal whatsoever of it and just carries on. That looked nasty....
    • 27' Possession changes hands four times in quick succession as some biting tackles fly in.
    • 26' Balotelli looks like he might get on the end of a long ball forward but Samba mops up well.
    • 25' After going nine games without a win in all competitions against Rovers, City have gone six unbeaten.
    • 24' There's a spot of head tennis in the box from the conrer, but nothing comes of the chance.
    • 23' But here come City now, in possession once more. Kolorov gets to the byline, and his cross is put behind for corner.
    • 22' Blackburn have done well to weather that early storm from City and they're now beginning to fashion a few chances of their own.
    • 21' Here come Rovers again, this time with Benjani, with what looks like it should have been a corner. Goal kick awarded instead.
    • 20' Roberts is upended by a slight clip on the ankle by Kompany in the box - big penalty shout! Not given!
    • 19' Johnson teases Givet but his final ball into the box doesn't find a City shirt.
    • 18' Nothing comes of the corner, but City win a free-kick moments later from which Johnson lashes a volley wide of the mark.
    • 17' Lovely flowing passing move from City, involving De Jong, Toure and then Zabaleta. And they win a corner!
    • 16' Salgado delivers a crunching challenge on Kolarov - but a fair one.
    • 15' Hart claims the throw though and City can build another attack.
    • 14' Blackburn edge forward again, and Samba wins a throw deep into City territory.
    • 13' Barry gets a talking to from the referee after a clumsy challenge on Olsson.
    • 12' Zabaleta and Johnson link up well on the right to win a throw after some attentive defending from Gael Givet.
    • 11' Kolorov tries his luck from range... it's well off target from the City left-back.
    • 10' Here come Blackburn on the break for the first time, with Benjani... he plays it across to Emerton, who crosses back into the box... but it's too high for the former City man and the chance goes begging.
    • 9' City are swaming all over Blackburn when they come forward. They've got options all over the pitch at the moment.
    • 8' Balotelli dusts himself off to take it... he gets it up and over the wall, but it's easy for Robinson to claim.
    • 7' Dunn goes in strongly on Balotelli, who hits the deck like he's taken a punch from Mike Tyson in his prime! Free-kick to City, nothing more, but it's in a dangerous position, 30 yards out.
    • 6' What a lovely cross-field ball from Silva to find Johnson... he runs at his man before delivering a cross to the near post... cleared this time, but City look in the mood tonight!
    • 5' What a start that would have been for City. Cracking effort from the Spaniard. Let's not forget that City haven’t won away in the Premier League since Boxing Day.
    • 4' Oooh! Silva off the post! Zabaleta plays the ball in to Barry, who mis-controls but it falls nicely for Silva, who lashes a first-time volley against the woodwork!
    • 3' Barry looks to clip a little ball over the top for Balotelli, but Jones is there to head clear.
    • 2' Silva wins a free-kick soon enough as City take control of possession - until Hart sends a clearence out of play.
    • 1' Here we go! Under way at Ewood Park!
    • 19:57 Here come the teams. Blackburn in their traditional blue and white, while City are in their all dark blue away kit tonight.
    • 19:55 Balotelli was in the papers again this morning, this time for more off-field shenanigans (reportedly). Balotelli's car impounded 27 times
    • 19:50 City boss Roberto Mancini knows a tough game is in store for his side tonight. Watch his pre-match press conference here
    • 19:45 City meanwhile are unchanged from the FA Cup semi-final, Mario Balotelli keeping his place in the starting XI with Carlos Tevez out with a hamstring injury. Micah Richards has a similar problem, so Pablo Zabaleta lines up from the start again.
    • 19:40 So, Blackburn are missing Junior Hoilett, who has failed to recover from a hamstring problem while Roque Santa Cruz is unavailable against his parent club. Jason Roberts and Benjani Mwaruwari are recalled to the side. Ryan Nelsen and Vince Grella are out injured and Steven Nzonzi serves the last match of a three-game suspension.
    • 19:35 And tonight's referee is Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
    • 19:30 The teams are in... BLACKBURN: Robinson, Salgado, Samba, Phil Jones, Givet, Emerton, Dunn, Jermaine Jones, Olsson, Mwaruwari, Roberts. Subs: Bunn, Kalinic, Formica, Pedersen, Rochina, Hanley, Diouf /// MANCHESTER CITY: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, De Jong, Barry, Adam Johnson, Toure Yaya, Silva, Balotelli. Subs: Taylor, Milner, Wright-Phillips, Dzeko, Vieira, Jo, Boyata
    • 19:25 It's a huge game too for Rovers, who sit just a point above the relegation zone and victory for them would give Steve Kean's side is equally important in their fight at the other end of the table.
    • 19:20 Tottenham's draw with West Brom on Saturday meant that City held on to fourth place and victory tonight at Ewood Park would four points clear of their nearest rivals for that final Champions League spot, with four games remaining.
    • 19:15 Manchester City make the short trip up the road to Blackburn knowing that three points are a must in their chase for Champions League football next season.

  • Summary

    • 90'+4 Olsson cracks an effort on target from the free-kick and Hart is forced into making a save low down to his right!
    • 90'+2 Could be a second for City! Toure seeks to exploit holes at the back for Blackburn! But he can't apply the finishing touch!
    • 88' Chance for Blackburn to grab an equaliser! Rochina clips a free-kick into the box, but Jones fires his header over the bar!
    • 75' GOAL! DZEKO! What an impact the sub has! Silva screws a pass across goal... Jones's attempted clearance comes out to Dzeko, who keeps his cool and buries it!
    • 74' Kolarov! Oooh! Great strike from the Serb! Robinson is equal to it though!
    • 69' At the other end, great work from Benjani as he cuts inside and lets fly! But his shot lets him down - it's tame and pulled wide of the upright.
    • 68' Ooh! Silva's threat remains, even if City are rarely getting into the Blackburn half at the moment! He curls a bender just wide of Robinson's post!
    • 50' Chance for Blackburn! Salgado does really well to release Emerton on the right... his ball in is a beauty but Roberts misjudges it totally and he can't get enough on his header to get the ball on target! Olsson then slides in at the back stick but can only direct his effort into the side netting!
    • 48' Toure sees a header tipped over by Robinson! Great chance to open the scoring early in the first half!
    • 39' Samba again goes close with a header, this time a towering one that flies wide of the far post!
    • 20' Roberts is upended by a slight clip on the ankle by Kompany in the box - big penalty shout! Not given!
    • 4' Oooh! Silva off the post! Zabaleta plays the ball in to Barry, who mis-controls but it falls nicely for Silva, who lashes a first-time volley against the woodwork!
    • 19:30 The teams are in... BLACKBURN: Robinson, Salgado, Samba, Phil Jones, Givet, Emerton, Dunn, Jermaine Jones, Olsson, Mwaruwari, Roberts. Subs: Bunn, Kalinic, Formica, Pedersen, Rochina, Hanley, Diouf /// MANCHESTER CITY: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, De Jong, Barry, Adam Johnson, Toure Yaya, Silva, Balotelli. Subs: Taylor, Milner, Wright-Phillips, Dzeko, Vieira, Jo, Boyata

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

    • Starting line-up

      • P. Robinson
      • Míchel Salgado
      • C. Samba
      • J. Jones Yellow Card
      • G. Givet Substitution Out (85′)
      • D. Dunn Substitution Out (63′)
      • B. Emerton Yellow Card
      • M. Olsson
      • P. Jones
      • J. Roberts
      • B. Mwaruwari Substitution Out (71′)

      Subs

      • M. Gamst Pedersen
      • N. Kalinic Substitution In71′
      • M. Bunn
      • M. Formica
      • M. Diouf Substitution In85′
      • G. Hanley
      • R. Rochina Substitution In63′

    • Starting line-up

      • J. Hart
      • P. Zabaleta
      • V. Kompany
      • J. Lescott
      • A. Kolarov
      • N. de Jong Yellow Card
      • G. Barry Yellow Card
      • A. Johnson Substitution Out (72′)
      • Y. Touré
      • D. Silva Substitution Out (90′)
      • M. Balotelli Yellow Card Substitution Out (84′)

      Subs

      • P. Vieira Substitution In84′
      • S. Wright-Phillips
      • J. Milner
      • E. Dzeko Substitution In72′ Goal
      • S. Taylor
      • Jô
      • D. Boyata Substitution In90′

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      - -
      Defenders
      - -
      - -
      Yellow Card - -
      Substitution Out85′ - -
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out63′ - -
      Yellow Card - -
      - -
      - -
      Strikers
      - -
      Substitution Out71′ - -
      Subs
      Substitution In71′ - -
      Substitution In85′ - -
      Substitution In63′ - -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      - -
      Defenders
      - -
      - -
      - -
      - -
      Midfielders
      Yellow Card - -
      Yellow Card - -
      Substitution Out72′ - -
      - -
      Substitution Out90′ - -
      Strikers
      Yellow Card Substitution Out84′ - -
      Subs
      Substitution In84′ - -
      Substitution In72′ Goal - -
      Substitution In90′ - -

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