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Defoe goal dents Blackburn hopes

Tottenham Hotspur's Pascal Chimbonda watches the ball as it crosses to him against Blackburn Rovers during their Premiership soccer match at White Hart Lane in London on Thursday. PHOTO: AFP

A second-half equalizer from Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe ended Blackburn's hopes of a direct route entry into next season's UEFA Cup on Thursday.

Mark Hughes' men needed a win to stay in the chase for a top-seven finish in the Premiership but their European hopes now rest with a possible Intertoto Cup campaign.

Rovers had looked on course for victory in the driving rain at White Hart Lane when Benni McCarthy headed in just after the half-hour mark.

But Defoe hit back with the equalizer after 67 minutes following an assist by Dimitar Berbatov to leave the final scoreline at 1-1.

Spurs now need a point against Manchester City tomorrow to play in the UEFA Cup again next season.

"We worked hard in the first half and let ourselves down in the second," complained Blackburn winger Morten Gamst Pedersen.

"We didn't keep the ball and gave it away too many times. You want to go straight in [UEFA Cup] but we now want to get ready for the last game," added Pedersen ahead of tomorrow's clash at home against Reading.

Both sides went into the game with European qualification in their sights, with Rovers needing two wins from their final two games of the season.

Spurs would have secured their place in next season's UEFA Cup with a win, as they needed only two more points.

After a stale first half hour South African striker McCarthy put the visitors ahead when he headed past Paul Robinson into the far left corner of the net following a magnificent Pedersen pass.

McCarthy missed the chance of a second 10 minutes later when his drilled right footer from the center of the penalty area was blocked by Tottenham skipper Ledley King and a subsequent effort from David Bentley went over the bar.

Spurs were rejuvenated following the arrival of Robbie Keane on the hour mark.

And Blackburn were left rueing a missed chance to convert another thundering Pedersen free kick from the right to the back post two minutes later which Christopher Samba got his head to but only to hit the bar from close range.

Keane almost snatched victory but hit the post in injury time before Rovers finished the game with ten men after Jason Roberts was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession -- the first for a tussle with Didier Zokora and a second for protesting about the decision to referee Rob Styles.
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