LONDON, April 4: Blackburn Rovers' Champions League qualification ambitions suffered a setback on Monday when they were held 1-1 at home by Wigan Athletic in the Premier League. Substitute Shefki Kuqi grabbed a controversial 84th minute equaliser for Rovers and Craig Bellamy was denied a winner by a superb reflex save by Wigan goalkeeper John Filan.

Victory for Rovers would have sent them above Arsenal into fifth place and level on points with Tottenham Hotspur who currently occupy fourth spot.

Rovers keeper Brad Friedel made a superb save to deny Andreas Johansson after 52 minutes, but from the resulting corner Pascal Chimbonda headed the ball back into the danger zone and Roberts flicked it past Friedel.

Time looked to be running out for Rovers when, in the 84th minute, Neill clattered into Filan and the ball spilled out of the keeper's grasp to Kuqi to slot home.—Reuters