Goals: Vassell 27, Nelsen 30' (og.) - Santa Cruz 28', 84'

Blackburn Rovers snatched a 2-2 Premier League draw at Manchester City after their Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz scored his second of the night in the 84th minute on Thursday.

City, who had won all their previous nine home league games this season, had been leading after three goals were scored in a thrilling three-minute spell midway through the first half.

Bulgarian midfielder Martin Petrov, in superb form, provided a perfect cross for striker Darius Vassell to head City into a 27th minute lead.

Blackburn levelled a minute later when Santa Cruz met David Bentley's free kick with a glancing header, but City were back in front when Petrov broke down the left and the square pass was slid into his own net by Rovers defender Ryan Nelsen.

Blackburn came out much sharper after the break and their pressure was rewarded at the end when Santa Cruz nodded in his seventh goal in four games off another Bentley cross.

The draw kept City fifth in the table, on 35 points, one behind fourth-placed Liverpool and 10 adrift of leaders Manchester United. Blackburn are ninth on 27 points.

Man City: Hart, Onuoha, Dunne, Richards, Ball, Corluka, Gelson, Ireland (Garrido 78'), Petrov, Bianchi (Elano 64'), Vassell.

Blackburn: Friedel, Khizanishvili (McCarthy 46'), Nelsen, Samba, Berner, Emerton, Reid, Dunn (Kerimoglu 90'), Pedersen, Bentley, Santa Cruz (Roberts 90').

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