Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson was pleased to lay on the entertainment in front of a gathering of former Ewood Park favourites for the club’s 5,000th league game.
A total of 35 attempts on goal were shared by both teams as Sammie Szmodics’ brace secured a 2-1 triumph over bottom-of-the-table Middlesbrough.
Matt Crooks replied in an incredibly open game, but Tomasson insisted afterwards that he would “rather try and win 5-3 than 1-0” every week.
Former Premier League-winning defender Colin Hendry and 89-year-old Bryan Douglas, who played in the 1958 and 1962 World Cup finals for England, were among the luminaries paraded onto the pitch before kick-off and ex-Denmark striker Tomasson said: “It was good to see us win the club’s 5,000th game and to see all of the legends before the game.
“I hope they enjoyed it and all the fans did too. It was great to see that amount of chances and we should probably have been 3-0 up at half-time, so it was frustrating not to convert more of the opportunities.
“We then scored a difficult one early in the second half but Middlesbrough got one back, which I think the referee and his assistant will be disappointed by when they look back at it because
their player was totally alone three metres from goal and was offside.
“It was then a tough period for us.
“Their goal changed the momentum after all those chances we had missed, but we play football for the fans because they pay a lot of money and you have to give them something back, so I would rather try and win 5-3 than 1-0.”
Midfielder Szmodics’ brace took his tally for the season to four, with Tomasson confessing that such a haul is a boost after a summer in which Rovers lost attacking duo Ben Brereton Diaz and Bradley Dack.
He added: “Sammie went close to his first hat-trick in a Rovers shirt and he’s started this season on fire for us. That’s important because we haven’t got a proven goalscorer in the squad, so everybody needs to chip in.”
Boro more than played their part in an absorbing and pulsating contest, but have now collected just one point from their opening six games and, including last season’s two-legged play-off defeat to Coventry, have failed to win any of their last 11 league matches – a sequence that equals the club’s longest outside of top-flight football since January 1925.
Manager Michael Carrick insisted, though, that the mood in his squad remains “good”.
“The changing room was quiet after the game, but it’s not a horrible atmosphere by any stretch of the imagination,” he said. “The mood is good.
“We’re not hiding from the fact that we need to get results, but there’s spirit and inner-belief in the group. It’s easy when people are telling me that I’m fantastic and the players that they are fantastic, but we knew a tough time would come at some point.
“Then, it’s how you deal with it and overcome it and, although this was an open game that probably suited them, I think we have controlled a lot of the other matches and it wouldn’t have taken much to tip the scales and turn the results in our favour.
“There were chances everywhere in this game and I thought we were right in it in the second half, but we are having to come back from setbacks too much at the moment.”
Inter Miami 1-0 D.C. United: Super-sub Campana seals late win
Inter Miami snatched a 1-0 win over D.C. United thanks to Leonardo Campana’s stoppage-time strike.
Campana had an instant impact after coming on in the 93rd minute as he volleyed in the winner just 25 seconds later.
Lionel Messi returned from a knee injury that kept him out against Orlando City but struggled to have his usual impact as Miami only managed eight shots.
Cristian Dajome had come closest to scoring for D.C. minutes after his introduction, but his dipping shot sailed over the bar.
Miami remain a point clear of FC Cincinnati at the top of the Eastern Conference, while D.C. sit ninth, a huge 14 points behind the league leaders.
Data Debrief: Miami continue to set the pace
Miami left it late to get back to winning ways but extended their unbeaten run to nine games. It is their longest run without defeat in the competition.
D.C. have now conceded eight goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half - only Montreal (10) and San Jose Earthquakes (10) have conceded more in that time in the MLS this season.
Montero to coach Juventus until end of the season
Paolo Montero will take charge of Serie A side Juventus for the remainder of the season following the dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri.
Juventus sacked their former head coach Allegri on Friday over his behaviour during and after this week's Coppa Italia final in which he was sent off, ending a long period of speculation over his future.
Montero, who coaches Juventus' Under-19s team, will take charge for their remaining two matches, at Bologna on Monday and against Monza at home on May 26.
The 52-year-old Uruguayan won four Serie A titles playing for Juventus as a defender from 1996 to 2005 and will take his first training session on Sunday.
"Paolo is a Juventus legend, firstly on the pitch, and someone who has long been a bearer of the club's DNA on the bench," Juve said in a statement.
"Best of luck, Paolo!"
Juve are assured of Champions League qualification but could still finish between third and fifth in Serie A this season.
Southampton 3-1 West Brom (3-1 agg): Saints set up play-off final with Leeds United
Southampton saw off West Brom 3-1 at St Mary's on Friday to set up a Championship play-off final showdown with Leeds United.
Leeds thumped Norwich City 4-0 at Elland Road 24 hours earlier to book their place at Wembley, where Southampton now await on May 26.
The first leg between the Saints and West Brom finished goalless - just like the other semi-final - but the home side's quality told in the end.
Russell Martin's side dominated the first-half possession, with David Brooks going closest to scoring with a shot that hit the outside of the post.
Southampton made the breakthrough via a powerful Will Smallbone finish four minutes into the second half after Gray Diangana lost possession.
Darnell Furlong had a shot helped over by Alex McCarthy, while David Brooks - who assisted the opener - had a strong penalty appeal rejected.
Southampton remained in control, though, and Adam Armstrong scored a second with a shot through Furlong's legs and past Alex Palmer.
Armstrong's second goal arrived from the penalty spot in the 86th minute after Tom Fellows fouled Ryan Manning in the box, rendering Cedric Kipre's late header a mere consolation.
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