Wisla Krakow 1 Blackburn Rovers 2: David Bentley's last-minute goal got Blackburn's Group E campaign off to an impressive start in Poland last night.
Bentley followed up to score after Wisla goalkeeper Emilian Dolha saved from Jason Roberts and Shabani Nonda.
Around the hour mark Robbie Savage had redeemed himself by levelling for Rovers after he had earlier deflected Mauro Cantoro's shot past Brad Friedel to give Wisla the lead on 28 minutes.
Wisla's record this season hinted they were not to be taken lightly - unbeaten table-toppers of the Polish league, having conceded just five goals.
There was defensive work for Rovers to do when Jakub Blaszczykowski tricked his way past Lucas Neill to whip in a low cross which might have been more dangerous had Wisla committed more players forward.
Blackburn screamed for a penalty when Neill burst into the box and appeared to be cynically checked by Marcin Baszczynski, but Swedish referee Stefan Johannesson saw nothing in it.
"We're delighted to have won - everyone understands that if you get something from away games you have a good chance of going through," said Blackburn manager Mark Hughes.
WISLA KRAKOW: Dolha, Baszczynski, Dudka, Cleber, Mijailovic, Blaszczykowski, Sobolewski, Cantoro, Zienczuk (Piotr Brozek 66), Jean Paulista, Radovanovic (Kryszalowicz 83). Subs not used: Pawelek, Thwaite, Stolarczyk, Varga, Penksa. Booked: Radovanovic, Zienczuk, Cantoro. Goal: Cantoro 28.
BLACKBURN ROVERS: Friedel, Neill, Khizanishvili, Ooijer, Emerton, Pedersen (Roberts 74), Savage (Mokoena 87), Kerimoglu, Bentley, Nonda, McCarthy. Subs not used: Brown, Todd, Jeffers, McEveley, Gray. Booked: Nonda, Kerimoglu, Ooijer. Goals: Savage 56, Bentley 90.
Referee: S Johannesson (Sweden).
