Blackburn boost Euro hopes

Blackburn Rovers are into the second qualifying round for the Uefa Cup after Mark Hughes' men overcame FC Vetra 6-0 on aggregate in their Intertoto Cup clash.

Leading the Lithuanians 2-0 from the first leg, Blackburn put the tie beyond their opponents in clinical fashion at Ewood Park.

Morten Gamst Pedersen broke the deadlock on 25 minutes before second-half strikes from Jason Roberts, Benni McCarthy and Christopher Samba.

Earlier Blackburn completed the signing of Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz from Bayern Munich for "an undisclosed fee", believed to be around £3.5 million.

Chairman John Williams believes Blackburn have shown shrewd business sense: "We set off with the intention of securing quality at the right price and I think we have achieved that."

Santa Cruz has spent the last eight years with Bayern Munich, who have allowed him to leave following the arrivals of Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose this summer.

Hughes, himself a former Bayern Munich striker, said: "Santa Cruz is a young player, an international with a good reputation who is playing at a top European club.

"The good thing from our point of view is that his fitness levels are fine as he as been playing in the Copa America."

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