England held to draw in Holland
Rooney got his first England goal in over a year
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Manchester City defender Micah Richards is the surprise inclusion in Steve McClaren's England team to face the Netherlands in an international friendly tomorrow. |  |
Wednesday, 15, Nov 2006 10:50
England were denied a victory on Dutch soil after Rafael van der Vaart's late strike cancelled out Wayne Rooney's first half effort for the visitors.
Rooney turned in his first international goal in over a year after Joe Cole crossed for him to instinctively flick the ball past the helpless Dutch goalkeeper on 35 minutes.
It was a deserved lead at that stage as England had the best of what was a scrappy affair that never truly got going.
Rooney himself missed a headed chance before he got his goal and Steven Gerrard could not take advantage of a weak back pass as he found the side netting.
Holland had their chances also, Arjen Robben tested Paul Robinson early on after beating debutant Micah Richards but it was England who nearly doubled their lead as Andrew Johnson's shot was deflected towards Henk Timmer's goal only to go wide.
In the second half Van der Vaart kept Robinson on his toes and substitute Klaas-Jan Huntelaar just failed to get on the end of a cross for what would have been a certain goal.
The closest England came in the second period was a 25-yard effort from Michael Carrick which fizzed just wide of the upright and a Rooney shot that went straight at the goalkeeper.
As time was running down Van der Vaart managed to latch on to a long throw from Robben which went past a number of defenders before reaching him at the far post and he finished from ten yards out.
England will be hoping to build on this when they resume their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign in March against Israel.