Blackburn reach first cup final in 42 years

Blackburn Rovers reached their first major cup final in 42 years when they beat first division Sheffield Wednesday 4-2 on Tuesday in the second leg of a thrilling English League Cup semifinal.

The premier league side had won the first leg 2-1 and will play Chelsea or Tottenham Hotspur in the final on February 24 in Cardiff. It will be Blackburn's first League Cup final.

Blackburn dominated the early exchanges at Ewood Park but Wednesday, fourth from bottom in the first division, would have taken the lead but for a blinding one-handed save by American goalkeeper Brad Friedel from Gerald Sibon in the 26th minute.

Nine minutes later Matt Jansen opened the scoring for Blackburn with a scrappy goal after Martin Taylor prodded a shot against a post from a corner. Striker Jansen was first to react from about two metres out.

Jansen should have scored a second within a minute but clipped the ball wide with only goalkeeper Paul Heald to beat.

But Heald, playing his first game for Wednesday after being signed on loan from Wimbledon this week, was beaten again in the 37th minute when Tugay, the creative heart of the Blackburn side, put Damien Duff through and he shot home left-footed.

Blackburn captain Gary Flitcroft was sent off early in the second half for an ugly two-footed tackle on midfielder Trond-Egil Soltvedt and minutes later Efan Ekoku pulled one back from the penalty spot after a Blackburn handball in the area.

Andy Cole, the former Manchester United striker, put the result beyond doubt eight minutes from time by netting from close range from a Duff cross.

Soltvedt scored a consolation goal for Wednesday three minutes later but Hignett slotted home almost immediately to restore Blackburn's two-goal lead.

"We made it difficult for ourselves in the second half," said Blackburn manager Graeme Souness. "When our captain was sent off the thing got turned on its head."

Cole was delighted to reach a cup final within a month of moving from the champions for an estimated eight million pounds ($12 million).

"I've jumped on the bandwagon basically," he said. "The League Cup medal is the only one I've not got -- it would be better with the full set."

Blackburn are six times FA Cup winners and were runners-up in their last major final in 1960. Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in the first leg of their semifinal.

The second leg was due to take place on Wednesday.