Wayne Rooney sends Goodison into ecstasy with dream return
Wayne Rooney rolled back the years for Everton – his clinical header sealed a 1-0 win over Stoke on his second Premier League debut for the Toffees.
Wayne Rooney rolled back the years for Everton – his clinical header sealed a 1-0 win over Stoke on his second Premier League debut for his lifelong club. Rooney had already played one official home game, a Europa League qualifier against Ruzomberok, in his second spell as an Evertonian following his summer move from Manchester United.
Rooney on target on opening for the eighth time
But the 31-year-old's first Premier League appearance for the Toffees at Goodison Park since 2004 still felt like a landmark moment for the player and his club on Saturday. Rooney certainly rose to the occasion, heading home in first half stoppage-time to collect his first Everton goal for 4,869 days - when he netted against Leeds in April 2004.
That was enough for Ronald Koeman's team to start the new season with three points and Everton will hope the return of the prodigal son signals the start of a push into the Premier League's top four. Rooney's name had been cheered to the rafters when the Everton team, featuring fellow debutants Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, Davy Klaassen and Sandro Ramírez, was read out before kick-off.
Stoke go close
Stoke handed debuts to Darren Fletcher and Kurt Zouma and Mark Hughes' side almost took an early lead when Joe Allen released Mame Biram Diouf down the right for a cross-shot which Pickford blocked. It took 20 minutes for Everton to get a shot on target and even then Idrissa Gueye's low drive was easily scooped up by Jack Butland.
Rooney dropped deeper into midfield in a bid to spark his team into life and immediately began to control the tempo, drawing a booking for Allen when he wriggled clear of the Stoke midfielder, who responded with a blatant tug. In stoppage-time, Rooney once again took possession in midfield, quickly moving the ball wide before making a perfectly-time burst forward.
By the time Dominic Calvert-Lewin swung over a pin-point cross, Rooney had eluded the Stoke defence so completely that he had the freedom of the penalty area to bury a clinical header past Butland from 10 yards. Sprinting towards the crowd in delight, Rooney slid to the turf to celebrate before he was mobbed by jubilant team-mates.
Rooney, one goal shy of 200 mark
The glow from Rooney's 199th Premier League goal was almost erased when Fletcher went close to equalising after half-time with a stinging strike. Calvert-Lewin nearly doubled Everton's lead when he robbed Zouma and cut into the penalty area for a drive that Butland pushed away.
Stoke laid siege on the hosts' goal after sending on Peter Crouch and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the closing stages. A superb save from Pickford, denying Xherdan Shaqiri in the closing moments, ensured Rooney wasn't denied victory on his return.
— Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) 12 August 2017