Friendly: Pune FC 0-3 Blackburn Rovers FC

English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers FC have won the historic first international friendly by an EPL side on Indian soil 3-0 against Pune FC at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi-Mhalunge in Pune.

From the start Rovers put pressure on PFC who missed the services of India No.1 Subrata Pal and striker Mandjou Keita with especially Subrata's replacement young Shahinlal Meloly giving a good account of himself. Rovers coach Steven Kean meanwhile fielded some of their stars like defenders Christopher Samba and Gaël Givet plus strikers Jason Roberts and Aiyegbeni Yakubu with other players missing due to international engagements

Initially it was only a question of time when PFC would concede, but Shahinlal Meloly along with his defence did a good job with Anes Edathodika making things more difficult as he as send-off with a double booking within the first quarter. Thereafter rains in Pune slowed down proceedings but then in the 35th minute Rovers took a deserving lead through a Jason Roberts shot. It remained this way until the breather.

After the break the 10 men PFC fought on but another great strike, this time from young Spanish striker Rubén Rochina in the 50th minute made it 2-0 for Blackburn Rovers. The experienced Jason Roberts made it 3-0 in the 74th minute to seal a one-sided game as PFC fought on to deny Rovers any further goals in the remaining minutes of the match, which ended 3-0 in favour of Blackburn Rovers but PFC will surely have won some hearts and new fans tonight.


MATCH STATS

Pune FC 0-3 Blackburn Rovers FC

Goals: 0-1,0-3 Jason Roberts (35',74'), 0-2 Rubén Rochina (50')

Pune FC
Shahinlal Meloly; Othallo Tabia (Rollingson Hungyo), Caitano Costa, Chika Wali, Gurjinder Kumar Singh; Shanmugam Venkatesh (Singam Subash Singh), Anes Edathodika, Baldeep Singh, Izumi Arata (Ramu Srikanth), Douhou Sey Djidja Pierre (Lester Mark Fernandez), Jeje Lalpekhlua (Paresh Shivalkar)

Blackburn Rovers
13-Mark Bunn; 32-Bruno Ribeiro, 37-Zac Aley, 4-Christopher Samba, 5-Gaël Givet; 23-Junior Hoilett, 15-Steven N'Zonzi, 10-Mauro Formica, 30-Jason Roberts, 20-Rubén Rochina, 24-Aiyegbeni Yakubu