Strasbourg vs Blackburn

The decisive moment arrived shortly after the restart. Strasbourg were awarded a penalty and had a chance to level the score, but Aynsley Pears dived to his left to keep out Amo-Amayaw's low spot-kick, preserving Blackburn's slender lead. The save shifted momentum decisively back in Rovers' favour and prevented what would have been a justifiable equaliser.

From that point, Mowbray rang the changes. Eight substitutions followed across the second half, with most of the squad completing either a 60-minute or 30-minute run-out as part of the pre-season workload management.

Matty Litherland was forced off with an injury after 55 minutes, replaced by Ryan Alebiosu — an added concern for Mowbray ahead of the new Championship season.

Captain Todd Cantwell made the points safe in the 84th minute. Ryan Alebiosu delivered a cross from the right flank, and Cantwell finished calmly into the bottom corner to double the lead. It was the kind of composed, decisive moment Mowbray will hope to see regularly from his skipper in the campaign ahead.

Aynsley Pears (9/10) — The standout performer. His penalty save early in the second half kept Rovers ahead when Strasbourg had momentum, and his distribution was assured throughout. The clean sheet — Blackburn's first of pre-season — was built on his intervention.

Todd Cantwell (8/10) — Introduced for the final half-hour, the captain made his mark with a clinical 84th-minute finish. His movement and composure in the final third were a level above.

Ryan Alebiosu (7/10) — Came on for the injured Litherland and provided the assist for Cantwell's goal. His delivery from the right was a consistent threat in the latter stages.

Harry Pickering (7/10) — Rovers' most dangerous attacking outlet in the first half, forcing two saves and delivering dangerous set-pieces.

The match was played behind closed doors at Blackburn's Portugal training base, meaning no attendance figure or detailed Opta-style xG data is publicly available. However, the pattern was clear: Blackburn's early goal forced Strasbourg to chase the game, and the penalty miss — practically a 0.76 xG opportunity wasted — was the statistical turning point. Rovers' ability to use 22 players across two distinct XIs reflects the squad-splitting approach Mowbray has employed throughout pre-season.

For Blackburn, this was a productive end to a week in Portugal that has sharpened fitness and given Mowbray a clearer picture of his squad. The clean sheet against a Ligue 1 opponent is a genuine positive, though the injury to Litherland — and the continued absence of Mathias Jorgensen, Augustus Kargbo, Connor O'Riordan (all sidelined), and Scott Wharton (thigh strain) — leaves room for concern ahead of the Championship season.

Rovers next face Huddersfield Town in a pre-season friendly before the EFL Cup first-round tie at Burton Albion and a Championship opener at Wolves. Strasbourg, meanwhile, continue their own pre-season preparations for the 2026-27 Ligue 1 campaign.

A professionally managed pre-season win. Blackburn did the important things well — scored early, defended the lead, and got minutes into the legs of virtually the entire squad. The penalty save from Pears was the difference between a comfortable win and a potentially nervy draw. Mowbray will be pleased with the clean sheet, though the injury list still needs to shorten before competitive football resumes.