Allardyce confirmed that centre-half Christopher Samba had returned to training but was still feeling weak.

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Rovers dominated the first half and led when Christopher Samba headed home from Morten Gamst Pedersen's corner.

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Christopher Samba was sent off for a blatant tug on Ricardo Fuller before Etherington exchanged passes with Liam Lawrence and curled in the third.

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Then a disastrous back-pass from Christopher Samba presented Drogba with a gilt-edged chance but the Ivorian's shot was saved by Robinson with his legs.

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Adam Johnson was denied a penalty for the home side before Carlos Tevez and Jo had late efforts blocked by Rovers' Gael Givet and Christopher Samba.

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The striker did have had the ball in the net soon after from a Barry free-kick but his effort was disallowed for a push on defender Christopher Samba.

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Santa Cruz, Stephen Warnock and Christopher Samba all had chances for the hosts in an entertaining first half but they went to the interval with a 1-0 lead.

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But for large periods, they struggled to break down a hard-working but unadventurous Blackburn side, playing with defender Christopher Samba and David Dunn, both having recovered from swine flu.

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Jermain Defoe put Spurs ahead in the first half and a brace from in-form Roman Pavlyuchenko, sandwiched by a reply from Christopher Samba, gave the home side three points.

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The 3, 000 crowd even took time out from fending off mosquitoes to get behind their team as MyPa grew in confidence, and Christopher Samba was forced into a last-ditch tackle to deny Eero Peltonen a shot at goal.

BBC: SPORT | Football | Europe | MyPa 0-1 Blackburn