Bakayoko denies Rovers

Former Everton flop Ibrahima Bakayoko helped bring Blackburn's 15-match unbeaten run crashing to an end and leave them on the brink of UEFA Cup elimination at the first hurdle as Larissa ran out 2-0 winners.

Bakayoko and Brazilian Cleyton scored two goals in the space of 90 disastrous first-half seconds as the Greek Cup winners pulled off a shock first-round, first-leg result.

The defeat leaves manager Mark Hughes' side facing an uphill task in the second leg at Ewood Park in a fortnight if they are to reach the group stages.

Blackburn's best opportunity of a wretched match arriving in the 19th minute, when a long throw from Morten Gamst Pedersen was taken on the chest by Benni McCarthy, who struck a volley goalwards that smacked into the face of German defender Marco Foerster.

Then came those 90 miserable seconds as Rovers found themselves two goals adrift and staring at an unlikely early exit from the competition.

Bakayoko let fly from 30 yards, only for his shot to take a slight deflection off Ryan Nelsen - and that was enough to help beat Brad Friedel.

Moments later and further travesty followed, this time courtesy of Blackburn's own making, and in particular a woeful back pass from just inside his own half from Brett Emerton.

Seizing onto the underhit ball, Nektarios Alexandrou was initially denied by a spread-eagled Friedel, while Andre Ooijer then blocked Bakayoko on the rebound.

The loose ball, though, ran to Giorgos Fotakis who teed up Cleyton and the Brazilian delightfully curled home a fine second from 12 yards.

A clawing save from Friedel from Fotakis' 20-yard free-kick denied Blackburn further embarrassment at the start of a second half in which they were distinctly second best - and the loss of captain Nelsen just before the hour added to Rovers' woes.