[Eaglesfan27]

1st minute: chivu with a goals saving tackle on Diego who had gotten free in our box.

3 minute mark: Downing passes to Djemba just outside the box.. hard shot.. it deflects off two defenders.. just wide left of the net.

5 minute mark: Downing passes to Fletcher outside the box.. Fletcher shoots from 25 yards out.. hard curving shot.. the keeper blocks it.

8 minute mark: Ferdinand with a tough tackle on Donovan to get the ball free.. Lucio passes it to Eagles at midfield.. Eagles passes it to Adriano who is outside of the box by the right corner.. Adriano shoots from 25 yards out.. blistering shot.. upper left corner.. it's past the keeper.. GOAL!!!! 1-0.

14 minute mark: Mitae passes it to Donovan in the box.. he shoots.. wide left.

16 minute mark: Rooney is tackled by Konig.. yellow card for Konig.

19 minute mark: Downing passes it to Djemba in the box.. he is 10 yards out.. hard shot.. the keeper punches it over the bar.

29 minute mark: Rooney gets the ball just outside the box.. dribbles past three defenders.. passes it to Adriano by the far post.. he heads it.. over the bar.

30 minute mark: Lucio takes the ball away from Donovan who was about to dribble into our box.


Halftime: 1-0 lead for us. We have over 91,000 fans here. Our statistician thinks it might be a record crowd.


47 minute mark: Rooney tries a shot from 35 yards that almost curves into goal before the keeper blocks it.

50 minute mark: Grygera steals it from Donovan before he can dribble into the box.

51 minute mark: Rooney gets it on the left corner of the pitch.. crosses to Adriano.. he heads it.. the keeper blocks it.. he hits the rebound on the half-volley.. into the crossbar. He shoots that rebound.. the keeper punches it over the bar.

On the ensuing corner.. Downing kicks it to Adriano.. he is pushed by Konig.. Whistle.. penalty shot awarded.. Rooney steps up to take it.. confident looking.. blasts it into the upper right corner.. GOAL!!!! 2-0. That is Rooney's 25th goal of the year.

63 minute mark: Eagles passes it to Adriano in the box.. he shoots.. hard shot.. upper left corner.. the keeper dives.. tips it over the bar.

68 minute mark: Chivu intercepts a pass from Donovan to Diego.

77 minute mark: Grygera gets a yellow card for tripping Donovan.

78 minute mark: Lucio heads away a corner.. Adriano gets it.. passes it down the length of the pitch.. Rooney runs.. outruns two defenders.. catches up to it.. just outside the box.. dribbles.. shoots.. upper right corner.. GOAL!!!! 3-0. That is Rooney's 2nd of the match.

81 minute mark: Rooney intercepts the ball at midfield.. dribbles up the left sideline.. past three defenders.. into the box.. towards the left post.. shoots that hard shot that I'm starting to see more of.. again a parallel to the end line shot.. it curves.. into the upper right corner! GOAL!!!! 4-0! I've never seen any other player shoot that severely angled shot so well. That is Rooney's hattrick!


Game over. 4-0 win for us.

We outshot them 20-5 (16-1 on target)

Rooney won MoM, 10 for form, 14 of 16 passes, 1 of 1 tackles, 1 of 6 headers, 1 interception, 7 runs, 2 fouls drawn, 3 goals.

Downing and Adriano both had 9's for form.

Ferdinand, Lucio, and Fletcher had 8's.

The rest of the team had 7's.

Donovan had a 7 for form (the only guy on their team to do that well.)

Donovan completed 19 of 24 passes, 0 of 1 tackles, 1 of 8 headers, 3 interceptions, and 1 run. He drew 2 fouls as well.