Rovers hold off Sydney

Emerton's neat chest-and-volley in the 37th minute set his side up for victory in front of 15,237 fans at the Sydney Football Stadium before Morten Gamst Pedersen doubled the advantage in the second half.

Striker Alex Brosque finally got Sydney on the board in the 81st minute in a solid hit-out for Vitezslav Lavicka's side ahead of its season opener against Melbourne Victory next Saturday.

Blackburn put in its best performance of the four-team pre-season tournament to score its first win and finish second behind AEK Athens who earlier made it three wins from three games by beating Rangers 1-0.

Emerton and Australian teammate Vince Grella started the match before both being substituted in the 57th minute while captain Ryan Nelsen also returned to the starting line-up following FIFA World Cup duties with New Zealand.

Sydney was far from disgraced and could have scored more than one had striker Mark Bridge not wasted a golden 65th-minute chance set up brilliantly by new marquee signing Nick Carle.

Shannon Cole also came close, threatening to equalise with a swerving long-rage shot that was brilliantly saved in the 84th minute.

Carle combined well with the likes of Brosque, Bridge and fellow new signing Scott Jamieson to hint at plenty of attacking promise for its title defence.

Sydney finished the tournament without a win but will surely benefit from testing itself against high-quality opposition.

Its brightest moment in the first half also fell to Brosque after some neat interplay with Carle and Bridge, but the striker couldn't beat Rovers goalkeeper Mark Bunn.

The deadlock was broken in the 37th minute when Emerton made the most of a gift from Sydney defenders, who failed to deal with a long-range Gael Givet free kick.

Givet's ball missed just about everyone to find Emerton unmarked in close range and the Socceroos winger displayed fine skill in a swift manoeuvre to beat Liam Reddy.

Pedersen doubled Blackburn's advantage in the 67th minute with a simple tap-in before Brosque got Sydney off the mark with a side-footed finish after he was played into space by substitute Brendan Gan.