Rooney to start against Sweden
Rooney to start against Sweden
Also In The News
|
The USA held Italy to a 1-1 draw in a remarkable action-packed match that yielded two goals and three red cards. |  |
Sunday, 18, Jun 2006 09:38
Sven-Goran Eriksson has confirmed that Wayne Rooney will be starting England’s final Group B game against Sweden next Tuesday.
Managing the national team against his home nation for the second consecutive World Cup, Eriksson told the BBC that he “doubted” Rooney could play a full 90 minutes but said that medical staff had told him they were “quite sure he could play more than 45 minutes”.
Rooney played 33 minutes against Trinidad & Tobago in his comeback game on Thursday, having an incurred an injury to his metatarsal in a Premiership game against Chelsea in April.
Eriksson admitted that Michael Owen’s prospects would be enhanced by the return of the Manchester United striker, with the pair naturally suited to each other’s play.
The England team’s current highest top scorer had looked innocuous in the first two opening World Cup games, with Eriksson insisting that it was “not easy to play great football” after a long injury lay-off.
The Newcastle striker had played little Premiership football last season before joining the England World Cup training squad in May.