LIVERPOOL: Wayne Rooney made his second competitive “debut” for his boyhood club Everton on Thursday, as Leighton Baines grabbed a 1-0 Europa League third-round qualifying victory over Slovakian side MFK Ruzomberok.
The former Manchester United and England captain had revealed in the build-up to the match at Goodison Park that it had been a lifelong ambition to play for Everton in Europe.
Thirteen years after leaving Merseyside for Old Trafford, Rooney finally fulfilled that ambition although it was a frustrating evening for manager Ronald Koeman and his new-look Everton side.
“It’s something I’ve been looking forward to for the last few weeks,” said 31-year-old Rooney.
“It’s obviously great to be at Goodison wearing the blue shirt, it was a great feeling.
“But it was an important game for us so I had to put my emotions to one side. I’ve done that now and can get down to focusing more on the football.”
The £75 million ($98 million) sale of Romelu Lukaku to United has funded a close-season of big expenditure by the club and Rooney joined England defender Michael Keane, former Ajax captain Davy Klaassen and ex-Southampton full-back Cuco Martina in making debuts.
And while Rooney’s return was greeted with the expected enthusiasm by a sold-out, if reduced-capacity, Goodison Park crowd, last season’s third-placed Slovakian team provided dogged opposition.
It was not until the 65th minute, when a Kevin Mirallas corner was headed out to Baines 25 yards from goal, that Evertonians could finally relax in this first leg tie.
Baines struck a magnificent shot but it still required a kind deflection off Erik Daniel to wrong foot goalkeeper Matus Macik and fly into the visitors’ goal.
Early signs had been promising for Everton when Ruzomberok captain Dominik Kruzliak sliced the ball horribly as Klaassen surged into the area and almost put the ball into his own goal before the keeper cleared.
Then, on 19 minutes, Rooney spied his first sight of goal back in an Everton shirt after another flowing attack, which ended with Klaassen sweeping the ball wide for Baines to pick out the striker who spun and sent a powerful shot wide.
Just before the half-hour, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, hero of England’s under-20 World Cup win this summer, showed great skill to win a tackle on his way into the box and his short cross found Rooney who slipped as he shot goalwards.
Calvert-Lewin was involved again a minute later, this time setting up Klaassen with an intelligent pass, but the Dutchman shot into the side-netting with the goal seemingly at his mercy.
It was looking an increasing danger that those misses might prove costly and before the break Daniel was given acres of room to deliver a 22-yard shot which Maarten Stekelenburg kept out, diving sharply to his right.
Everton’s concerns continued after the restart when uncertain defending allowed Daniel a shot which, fortunately for the home side, he miskicked wide.
Yet Rooney, and Everton’s, big occasion might have been spoiled just before the hour when Dalibor Takac’s free-kick picked out Jan Maslo, whose powerful header was tipped onto the bar by Stekelenburg although replays showed the defender was clearly offside.
That was a scare that prompted Koeman into bringing on another new signing, Spanish striker Sandro Ramirez, and his pace and energy enlivened his team with the goal coming soon afterwards.
Mirallas might have claimed the second goal Koeman would have wished for, ahead of next week’s second leg, but Macik made a superb reflex stop before Ruzomberok substitute Milos Lacny wasted a glorious late chance to equalize.
Elsewhere in qualifying on Thursday, AC Milan began their new era under Chinese ownership with a scrappy 1-0 over Universitatea Craiova in Romania, as Swiss full-back Ricardo Rodriguez scored the winner on his debut.
Rooney returns in underwhelming Everton win
Rooney returns in underwhelming Everton win
NEOM concede at the death for the second week in a row as Al-Taawoun salvage late draw
- NEOM narrowly lost to Al-Nassr 1-0 last weekend after Mohamed Simakan scored an injury-time winner
- Al-Taawoun followed up with a late equalizer by Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi to deny them three points
RIYADH: The Saudi Pro League returned for Matchday 26, with the table beginning to take its final shape as the season enters its final quarter. The title contenders kick off on Friday and Saturday, but Thursday’s action focused on a clash between upper mid-table sides NEOM and Al-Taawoun, alongside three relegation-battlers — Al-Najma, Damac and Al-Kholood — attempting to improve their standings.
In Tabuk, NEOM played out a 2-2 draw with Al-Taawoun, this season’s surprise package under the returning Pericles Chamusca. After a brilliant start to the campaign that saw them spend much of the season in the top four, a poor run of just one win in their last eight games has followed.
Al-Taawoun’s late equaliser was vital in their bid to maintain a spot in the top five. With Al-Ittihad lurking just three points behind and yet to play this weekend, every point matters for the Wolves of Qassim. Regardless, it has become a painful second half of the season for Chamusca’s side, as they now sit 12 points behind the top four.
After a heroic performance from Luis Maximiano against Al-Nassr last weekend, NEOM were unfortunate to leave Riyadh empty-handed after conceding at the death. There were still plenty of positives from the defeat, as Christophe Galtier’s squad appear to have finally hit second gear this season.
Calm and collected against Al-Nassr, they repeated the same approach against Al-Taawoun. Knowing their opponents thrive on space in the transition, NEOM prevented them from accessing wingers Marin Petkov and Biel, leaving star striker Roger Martinez isolated for most of the match.
Amadou Koné and Abdoulaye Doucouré did their part to disrupt the centre of Al-Taawoun’s block, with the former driving forward and the latter drifting in between the lines to create the opener. In the 23rd minute, Al-Taawoun’s defence were pulled apart as Luciano Rodríguez met Doucouré’s precise through ball to slot home.
NEOM maintained their composure throughout the match, but it took a wonder strike from Martinez to bring the visitors level in the 70th minute, the Colombian producing a superb strike from distance.
It only took six minutes for NEOM to respond. Saïd Benrahma broke down the Al-Taawoun defence once again, releasing Alexandre Lacazette for a powerful finish to restore the hosts’ lead.
Despite the strong performance from NEOM, they ultimately fell victim to another late setback. Substitute Mohammed Al-Kuwaykibi surged down the flank in stoppage time before cutting inside and curling a precise finesse shot beyond Maximiano to salvage a point.
Elsewhere, Damac continued their resurgence under Fabio Carrille with a 3-1 victory over Al-Najma, who remain rooted to the bottom of the table. The win moves Damac six points clear of Al-Riyadh in the relegation zone, while Al-Najma sit 14 points from safety with eight matches remaining.
Meanwhile, Al-Hazem secured a late victory after Abdulaziz Al-Dwehe netted an 86th-minute winner in a 2-1 triumph over Al-Kholood. It was a frustrating night for the Saudi Pro League’s all-time leading scorer Omar Al-Somah, who missed a penalty for the winners in the 60th minute.
Saudi Pro League action resumes on Friday, with Al-Fayha hosting Al-Ettifaq and Al-Riyadh welcoming Al-Ittihad at 10:00pm. The headline fixture of the evening — kicking off at the same time — sees second-placed Al-Ahli travel to face fourth-placed Al-Qadsiah. Victory for Al-Ahli against tough opposition would strengthen their title push, while defeat for Al-Qadsiah could effectively end their unlikely championship hopes.
