Rotherham 2-2 Blackburn Rovers: Sammie Szmodics scores twice and misses a penalty to earn visitors a point

Blackburn Rovers battled back to earn a 2-2 draw at Rotherham United with Sammie Szmodics going from zero to hero.

Szmodics missed a first-half penalty and was also at fault for The Millers' opener before his second-half double turned the game around.

Rotherham had looked to be on course for their first win of the campaign thanks to strikes from Hakeem Odoffin and Fred Onyedinma, but the latter's dismissal for two yellow cards in quick succession turned the course of the match.

The opening chance fell to summer recruit Onyedinma, who slipped by the Blackburn defence to race onto a clearance from Viktor Johansson before seeing his shot tipped wide by Aynsley Pears.

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Blackburn were awarded a 15th-minute penalty after Cameron Humphreys clattered into Joe Rankin-Costello in the box. But Szmodics's effort ricocheted back off the post and Tyrhys Dolan's follow-up effort dribbled wide.

Szmodics' afternoon got even worse as he gave the ball away to gift Rotherham the lead in the 23rd minute when Odoffin latched onto the loose pass and smashed beyond Pears from the edge of the box.

Blackburn's best chance of getting back into the game before the break came when the ball fell kindly to Adam Wharton on the edge of the box, but he volleyed over.

Rotherham doubled their advantage in the 48th minute with Onyedinma meeting Cafu's free-kick perfectly with a diving header.

But the goalscorer was dismissed for picking up two yellow cards in quick succession from referee Bobby Madley. The first came for celebrating the goal and the second came after he gestured at the referee after being fouled.

Blackburn tried to make their man advantage count with Jon Dahl Tomasson making an attacking triple change.

Dolan came close to halving the advantage as he met Rankin-Costello's cross powerfully, but his effort whistled just over the bar.

Callum Brittain then set up a decent chance for Ryan Hedges, but he poked wide at the near post.

Rankin-Costello then whistled another effort from the edge of the box just wide before the pressure finally told when Szmodics pulled one back for Blackburn in the 75th minute after his effort deflected in from Wharton's slick pass.

Szmodics was celebrating again three minutes later when he found himself in on goal after a defensive lapse and smashed home after rounding Johansson.

Blackburn pushed for a winner and Harry Pickering almost delivered one in stunning style when he teed himself up for a volley which had to be tipped over by Johansson.

Pickering again came close in added on time, but his effort drifted wide of goal as Rotherham held on for a point.

The managers

Rotherham's Matt Taylor:

"The first yellow is my biggest frustration. We go 2-0 up, it's Fred's first goal and there is emotion. He gets pushed into the crowd by his team-mates celebrating. Football is going in a strange direction right now. I know they are trying to make it a better product, but I would argue that it isn't right now. I thought we went through every emotion known to man. We went from jubilation and then a few minutes later Fred gets sent off. At least we got something out of the game.

"I have not enjoyed the first two games of the season. I have seen a whole host of yellow cards for very little. We can go through every single moment of the game with frustration. We are gutted we did not take more from that game."

Blackburn's Jon Dahl Tomasson:

"It was a bit of a rollercoaster but entertaining for the fans. I think the fans will be disappointed we didn't come away with three points. We did not do enough of the right things in the first half. If we score that penalty then it would be a different game.

"I was not happy with the first half. But I must give all my credit to the lads. They got a well deserved first and second goal. I stopped counting the number of chances we created. Rotherham did really, really well and defended with great spirit. So credit to them."

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