Follow live coverage as Blackburn Rovers face Cardiff City in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Blackburn Rovers FC 1 - 2 Cardiff City FC
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:59Match ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Cardiff City 2.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:58Second Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Cardiff City 2.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:57Attempt missed. Isaak Davies (Cardiff City) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:54Foul by Hayden Carter (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:53Hand ball by Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:50Fourth official has announced 6 minutes of added time.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:50Todd Cantwell (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:48Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:48Delay in match because of an injury Callum O'Dowda (Cardiff City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:48Amario Cozier-Duberry (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:46Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Amario Cozier-Duberry.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:46Hand ball by Amario Cozier-Duberry (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:43Attempt blocked. Yakou Méïté (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:46Attempt saved. Will Alves (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Yakou Méïté.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:41Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Cauley Woodrow replaces Yuki Ohashi.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:41Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Todd Cantwell replaces Sondre Tronstad.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:39Offside, Cardiff City. Yakou Méïté is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:38Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Joel Bagan.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:38Foul by Amario Cozier-Duberry (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:37Foul by Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:33Goal! Blackburn Rovers 1, Cardiff City 2. Yakou Méïté (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Will Alves with a cross.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:32Substitution, Cardiff City. Yakou Méïté replaces Callum Robinson.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:32Substitution, Cardiff City. David Turnbull replaces Sivert Mannsverk.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:32Attempt missed. Amario Cozier-Duberry (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:29Attempt missed. Will Alves (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:28Attempt blocked. Callum Robinson (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:26Attempt missed. Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lewis Travis following a fast break.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:23Substitution, Blackburn Rovers. Amario Cozier-Duberry replaces Emmanuel Dennis because of an injury.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:23Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:22Delay in match because of an injury Emmanuel Dennis (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:22Substitution, Cardiff City. Will Alves replaces Andy Rinomhota.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:22Substitution, Cardiff City. Isaak Davies replaces Yousef Salech.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:22Foul by Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:14Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Will Fish.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:15Attempt blocked. Emmanuel Dennis (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:14Corner, Blackburn Rovers. Conceded by Perry Ng.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:14Attempt blocked. Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:11Foul by Emmanuel Dennis (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:08Foul by Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:07Attempt missed. Callum Robinson (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the left side of the box.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
16:04Second Half begins Blackburn Rovers 1, Cardiff City 1.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:49First Half ends, Blackburn Rovers 1, Cardiff City 1.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:49Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:49Delay in match because of an injury Emmanuel Dennis (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:49Attempt saved. Sondre Tronstad (Blackburn Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Joe Rankin-Costello.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:47Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:47Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:47Foul by Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:47Hand ball by Emmanuel Dennis (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:47Sondre Tronstad (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:47Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Tyrhys Dolan is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:47Offside, Cardiff City. Yousef Salech is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:42Attempt missed. Sivert Mannsverk (Cardiff City) right footed shot from outside the box.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:41Substitution, Cardiff City. Rubin Colwill replaces Joe Ralls.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:35Attempt missed. Makhtar Gueye (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:35Emmanuel Dennis (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:34Dominic Hyam (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:33Attempt blocked. Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Makhtar Gueye with a headed pass.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:31Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:30Delay in match because of an injury Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:28Hand ball by Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:26Foul by Yuri Ribeiro (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:22Offside, Blackburn Rovers. Makhtar Gueye is caught offside.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:20Foul by Joe Rankin-Costello (Blackburn Rovers).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:18Dominic Hyam (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:17Goal! Blackburn Rovers 1, Cardiff City 1. Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn Rovers) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Emmanuel Dennis with a cross.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:16Foul by Andy Rinomhota (Cardiff City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:14Attempt missed. Yousef Salech (Cardiff City) right footed shot from more than 35 yards.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:14Calum Chambers (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:14Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:14Dominic Hyam (Blackburn Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:09Foul by Andy Rinomhota (Cardiff City).
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:05Goal! Blackburn Rovers 0, Cardiff City 1. Yousef Salech (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:02Joe Ralls (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
15:01First Half begins.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Blackburn Rovers vs Cardiff City
13:01Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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