Blackburn eliminated from Carabao Cup

Bradford City defeated Blackburn Rovers 2-1 at Ewood Park to end Rovers' Carabao Cup run this season.

Blackburn Rovers eliminated from Carabao Cup by Bradford City

Bradford City surged into a 2-0 lead inside the first five minutes at Ewood Park. Ibou Touray volleyed home from a corner and, moments later, debutant Mick Michalski miscontrolled outside his own area, leaving Will Swann with a simple finish. The early shock sent Bradford’s 4,000-strong away support into full voice as Blackburn regrouped under Ismael’s rotated squad.

Blackburn found a lifeline just before half-time when Dion De Neve converted at the back post from Lewis Miller’s long throw, giving the hosts belief going into the break. The second half saw Blackburn push hard to equalise, with Makhtar Gueye forcing several saves from Sam Walker and late chances from Augustus Kargbo and Yuki Ohashi. Ohashi hit the bar with a late header that would have forced extra time, but Bradford held firm to seal progression. Ismael shuffled the pack, with eight changes and several academy graduates featuring, including Henriksson and De Neve, while captain for the night Sondre Tronstad started at Ewood Park. The result keeps Blackburn out of the Carabao Cup at this stage for the first time since 2021.

Rovers will now turn their focus to league action, starting with a home game against Birmingham City, as the manager weighs the balance between development and short-term results.

The night put Blackburn’s squad management under the microscope. Eight changes, plus academy debuts, signal a plan to blend youth with experience, but the early setback left little room for a controlled approach. The result underlines Bradford’s appetite for set-piece potency and fast breaks, two elements that can travel well in knockout football.

For Bradford, the win offers a momentum boost and a concrete reward for a bold game plan against a higher-tier opponent. For Blackburn, it is a reminder that cup fixtures still test depth and nerve, even when progress in the league is a longer-term project. The challenge for Ismael is to convert the learning from nights like this into consistency when the stakes rise in the league.

Highlights

Blackburn must turn this setback into a stepping stone as they chase a steadier run of results.