BLACKBURN, England, 12 November 2003 — Blackburn Rovers ended a run of four consecutive Premier League defeats with a nervy 2-1 victory over Everton at Ewood Park on Monday.
The home side were cruising after 13 minutes thanks to headed goals from defender Markus Babbel and former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke.
But Tomasz Radzinski pulled a goal back with a close-range header after 49 minutes and Rovers had to hang on desperately for the win that lifted them out of the relegation zone. Everton, who have managed only two points in their last five games, sink into the bottom three, level on 10 points with Wolverhampton Wanderers and two ahead of bottom club Leeds.
Barbosa Goals Move Sporting
to Second Place
In Lisbon, Sporting captain Paulo Barbosa scored both goals in a 2-1 win at 10-man Pacos Ferreira late on Monday, moving the Lisbon side to second place behind Porto.
Porto, the defending champions and the league’s only unbeaten side, lead with 29 points after a 1-1 draw with Moreirense. With 11 games completed, Sporting lie seven points behind. Braga, who beat bottom-of-the-table Estrela Amadora 2-1 at home on Saturday, are third with 21.
Barbosa grabbed his first goal of the match — and the season — in the 19th minute with a shot from just outside the area after a back-heel pass from Brazilian striker Liedson. Pacos Ferreira striker Jose Manuel leveled in the 51st minute with another long distance shot.
Seven minutes later Pacos were reduced to 10 men when striker Beto Santos was sent off for two bookable offenses.
Fourteen minutes from the end Barbosa scored the winning goal with a penalty after teammate Liedson had been fouled.
Pacos de Ferreira coach Jose Mota said his team would have won if Santos had not been sent off. Benfica, sixth with 20 points, produced one of their best performances of the season when they crushed Alverca 3-0 away on Sunday. Midfielder Tiago Mendes scored twice and winger Geovanni Mauricio completed the rout.
Hong Kong Stun Thailand in Asian Cup Qualifier
In Tashkent, Thailand slumped to their third successive Asian Cup qualifying defeat as they were beaten 2-1 by Hong Kong in Tashkent on Monday.
After defeats to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Group A co-favorites Thailand could ill afford another slip-up but a 69th-minute winner from Wong Sunliu has left the Thais with a mountain to climb. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, drew 0-0 with Tajikistan to stay top of the group on seven points from three matches. Tajikistan are second on five points. The three return games in Group A will all be played in Bangkok and Thailand will get the chance to exact instant revenge on Hong Kong on Nov. 17.
