Rooney sparkles on return to stadium of shame
Reuters - Tuesday 26 April 2011, 22:33
GELSENKIRCHEN - Manchester
United's Wayne Rooney returned to the Auf Schalke Arena, scene
of one of his most infamous moments of madness, on Tuesday but
left with his reputation enhanced after a virtuoso display.
The 25-year-old striker set up the first goal and scored the
second after the break as United eased to a 2-0 Champions League
semi-final first leg win against hapless Schalke 04 and all but
booked their spot in the Wembley final on May 28.
It was a happy return to Gelsenkirchen for Rooney, who was
sent off for stamping on Portugal's Ricardo Carvalho when
England went out in the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo's wink to the Portugal bench after he
protested for then United team mate Rooney to be dismissed made
all the back pages of the English papers the next day but Rooney
will dominate the headlines for his brilliance this time.
"I was delighted with the performance and the victory,"
Rooney told Sky Sports as he skipped over questions about 2006.
"First half especially we had some great chances and at
half-time we were disappointed not to be in front. I thought we
dominated possession and deserved the victory."
His ill-discipline cost England dear five years ago but back
in the same stadium the forward was at the heart of much of
United's good work having well and truly shrugged off the poor
form which dogged him earlier in the season.
SUPERB PASS
Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer did his best to thwart
United until Rooney slipped in a superb pass after 67 minutes
through the legs of central defender Joel Matip for Ryan Giggs
to beat Germany's number one.
Two minutes later Rooney latched onto Javier Hernandez's
ball and scored with an easy finish to cap a superb performance
that left Schalke's anonymous forward Raul in the shade.
Rooney was substituted in the 83rd to pats on the back from
the bench in the knowledge that he had gone a long way to almost
securing a third Champions League final berth in four seasons.
Rooney may not be the finished article in terms of attitude,
given his recent foul-mouthed outburst into a television camera
which led to a two-game domestic ban, but he has come back from
a big blip in form looking stronger than ever.
Maturity is beginning to creep in too, judging by Rooney's
cautious views on the second leg at Old Trafford on Wednesday,
where Alex Ferguson is so confident his side will go through
that he has talked about possibly resting some players.
"Schalke are a good team and you can't take them lightly,"
Rooney added. "We have seen how they went at Inter Milan (in the
quarter-finals) and won 5-2 there. We must do a professional job
and reach the final."