1st minute: Downing with a corner.. to Adriano by the far post.. he heads it.. the keeper blocks it.. Rooney on the half-volley.. the keeper somehow blocks that!
4 minute mark: Rooney with a brilliant dribble around three defenders.. weaving into the box.. passes to Adriano on his left.. Adriano heads it.. over the bar.
13 minute mark: Borowski steals it from Mamam.. shoots.. long range shot.. Howard saves it.
21 minute mark: Lucio heads away a cross.. the header goes to Mamamat midfield.. he passes long to Rooney just outside the box.. Rooney dribbles between both centrebacks.. into the box.. shoots.. lower right corner.. it's past the keeper.. GOAL!!!! 1-0.
23 minute mark: Downing dribbles down the left sideline.. past two defenders.. crosses for the far post.. Adriano jumps.. heads it.. over the bar.
32 minute mark: Downing passes to Rooney in the left side of the box.. he crosses it short to Adriano.. he heads it.. great save by the keeper.
39 minute mark: Earnshaw with a breakaway.. hard shot from 15 yards out.. Howard with a diving catch. Great save.
44 minute mark: Borowski passes to Burzanoic.. he passes to Earnshaw just outside the box.. hard long shot.. curving.. great fast curving shot.. Howard dives.. it is just out of his reach.. into the upper right corner. GOAL. 1-1.
Halftime: 1-1 tie. 48,000 fans here for them.
47 minute mark: Schreurs has picked up a minor injury. I put Marino on at right wing (worth a shot.)
50 minute mark: Downing has been tackled hard by Delaney.. he is hurt! I put Fletcher on at left wing.
57 minute mark: Fletcher passes into the box for Rooney.. he passes to Adriano.. hard shot.. the keeper blocks it.
60 minute mark: Rooney passes into the box for Adriano.. hard shot.. over the bar. Rough game for Adriano.
63 minute mark: Corner kick from Boufaher.. Silvestre tries to clear the corner.. he heads it.. backwards.. into the upper left corner of the goal! Own goal from Silvestre
Down 2-1.
72 minute mark: Rooney gets the ball on the left wing.. dribbles down the left side of the pitch.. crosses.. To Adriano.. he heads it.. into the crossbar.. really rough game for Adriano, but he never gives up, so I leave him on the pitch.
74 minute mark Marino with a good dribble.. cross.. Rooney heads it.. the keeper punches it over the bar.
85 minute mark: Rooney passes it to Adriano in the box.. he shoots.. upper left corner.. the keeper punches it over the bar.
88 minute mark: Earnshaw with a hard 20 yard shot.. Howard dives.. punches it over the bar.
Game over. 2-1 loss
They outshot us 20-16 (12-7 on target)
Thomas van Putten, their keeper, wins MoM with a 10 for form. Along with his saves, he completed 14 of 26 passes.
Howard had an 8. Adriano and Marino both had 6's. The rest of the team had 7's.