Rooney strikes at the Valley

  • Wednesday, 27 August, 2003
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Sven Goran Eriksson was at the Valley last night to watch the Premier League...

Sven Goran Eriksson was at the Valley last night to watch the Premier League game between Charlton and Everton...

Charlton took the lead twice through Jason Euell penalties before Everton equalised, first through Steve Watson and then through Wayne Rooney.

The key moment of the game was Rooney's first league goal of the fledgling season, which came with 19 minutes left.

Rooney controlled Gary Naysmith's driven cross with an instant touch and turned at an acute angle before rifling a hammer shot into the roof of the net.

Everton manager David Moyes said afterwards that he's hopeful his 17 year-old sensation will return to the England squad for the forthcoming double-header against Macedonia and Liechtenstein.

"I think Wayne should be selected. We want all the English players at Everton selected for England," he said of the party which will be announced exclusively first here on TheFA.com on Sunday night.

Moyes also compared the ferocity of the strike with what we have come to expect from one of the greatest strikers of the modern generation: Alan Shearer.

"It was a great touch and he finished the way Alan Shearer finishes in front of goal - he made sure he scored," Moyes added. "So his touch made it, along with that ability to take it round defenders in box. But more pleasing for me is that we've been saying he's got to finish more regularly in and around the six-yard box."

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley also applauded the youngster's strike, commenting: "It was smashed across the face of goal and it was Rooney's first touch that did it. It was a great turn - so Fish couldn't gamble and make a tackle - and a great finish."

From Charlton's perspective, former England Under-21 star Jason Euell struck two penalties, the first won for him by the energetic Scott Parker.

The midfielder with a great engine forced his way into Sven's squad for the match against Australia earlier in the year. He's now hoping to return.

"Things are going quite well for me at the moment," he said. "I believe that if I am performing I can force my way into the England side."

The English players that Sven saw last night were:

CHARLTON:Young, Fortune, Stuart (came on as sub), Parker, Euell, Cole (came on as sub).

EVERTON: Wright, Stubbs, Unsworth, Watson, Rooney.

Log-on on Sunday night for first news of the squad.

We'll keep you updated with all the matches Sven sees.

Click here to view the matches that Sven and Tord have seen so far this season.

 


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