Tottenham 1 Blackburn 1: A second-half equaliser from Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe ended Blackburn's hopes a direct route into the Uefa Cup.

Mark Hughes' men needed a win to stay in the hunt for a top-seven finish in the Premiership but their European hopes now rest with a possible Intertoto Cup campaign.

They were on course for victory when Benni McCarthy opened the scoring to edge him ahead in the battle of the Premiership newcomers with Dimitar Berbatov.

But Berbatov then played his part in Defoe's equaliser, meaning Spurs now need a point against Manchester City on Sunday to play in the Uefa Cup again next season.

Rovers finished with 10 men — striker Jason Roberts dismissed after receiving two yellow cards in rapid succession, the first for a tussle with Didier Zokora and a second — apparently harshly — for protesting about the decision to referee Rob Styles.

The match was the 1,000th Premiership match televised on Sky — but there was little in the way of early entertainment before McCarthy struck.

The opening goal, in the 32nd minute, came from hesitation in the Spurs defence leading to Pedersen finding the ball on the left. His telling cross was met by South Africa striker McCarthy, who had peeled away from Ledley King at the far post to head home his 23rd of the campaign and his 17th in the Premiership.

Roberts looked to double the lead a minute later but his long-range effort was deflected and Paul Robinson saved.

There was little for Spurs fans to sing about immediately after the break either, although they appealed when Samba appeared to use his arm while clearing a corner.

After Pedersen had picked up a yellow card for fouling Defoe, Berbatov forced Friedel into a save with the free-kick which home fans optimistically yet wrongly claimed crossed the line as the American claimed at the second attempt.

Martin Jol brought on Robbie Keane in the 59th minute to replace substitute Ghaly, who threw his shirt to the floor in front of his manager. "Your not fit to wear the shirt," was the Spurs fans' assessment.

Despite having three strikers with 60 goals between them, Spurs were inches from going 2-0 down when Samba's header from Pedersen's free-kick glanced off the bar to safety.

And it proved a telling moment as Spurs levelled with 23 minutes left — with all three strikers having a hand in the goal.

Keane fed Berbatov, who spun on the edge of the area and fired a shot away, Friedel could only parry and Defoe tapped in.

Rovers boss Mark Hughes introduced strikers Matt Derbyshire and Paul Gallagher for Mokoena and Tugay respectively in the closing stages as he sought the crucial breakthrough.

But it was the hosts who went closest to a winner, with Dawson seeing two efforts go wide, before Robbie Keane hit the post in the first of four minutes of stoppage-time, with Roberts' dismissal the last action of the game.