2 minute mark: Ortega dribbles past two defenders.. quick pass to Adriano.. he shoots.. a defender blocks it.. Parker get it outside the box.. blasts a shot.. upper left corner.. GOAL!!!! 1-0.
10 minute mark: ortega with a long pass into the box.. Rooney outjumps the defender and the keeper.. heads it.. upper left corner.. GOAL.. it's waved off. Rooney unfairly pushed the defender.
20 minue mark: Howard and the defenders stop a flurry of shots until Maury gets a rebound and shoots it into the upper right corner from 6 yards out. GOAL. 1-1 match. 3-1 lead on aggregate for us.
21 minute mark: Downing passes to rooney.. he shoots from 25 yards out.. strong curving shot.. upper right corner.. the keeper dives.. saves it.
23 minute mark: Parker was tripped just outside the box.. Rooney takes the free kick.. curves it through a crack in the wall.. upper right corner.. GOAL!!!! 2-1.
30 minute mark: Downing gets a yellow card for tripping Fran.
32 minute mark: Pazzini gets it left of the box.. passes it between two defenders to Maury inside the 6 yard box.. he heads it.. upper left corner.. past Howard.. GOAL. 2-2 match. 4-2 on aggregate.
Halftime: 2-2 tie. 4-2 lead on aggregate.
54 minute mark: Ortega dribbles past his man.. crosses to Adriano in the middle of the box.. he shoots.. upper left corner.. wide left.
63 minute mark: Godoy steals it at midpitch.. passes it to Rooney.. he is racing to the ball.... the keeper is racing to it.. Rooney beats him to it.. chips it on a dead run.. over the keeper.. upper right corner.. it sails under the bar! GOAL!!!! 3-2.
Alfonso on for Godoy and Cahais on for Marchetti.
74 minute mark: I've given Rooney his chance for a hattrick.. Oswald on for Rooney.
Rooney gets a standing ovation from our crowd.
83 minute mark: Downing dribbles past three defenders.. fires a pass to Parker outside the box.. he shoots.. strong curving shot.. upper right corner.. the keeper dives.. catches it. Great save.
86 minute mark: Howard stops a pair of close range shots from Pazzini.
89 minute mark: Parker passes to Oswald in the middle of the box.. good shot.. lower left corner.. the keeper dives.. pushes it wide. On the ensuing corner, downing kicks it to the middle of the box.. Parker heads it.. powerful header.. upper left corner.. GOAL!!!! 4-2.
Game over. 4-2 win
6-2 win on aggregate.
We outshot them 22-14 (14-8 on target)
Rooney wins MoM, 10 for form, 12 of 15 passes, 4 key passes, 0 tackles, 2 of 10 headers, 1 interception, 10 runs, 1 foul drawn, 2 goals.
Parker, Downing, and Ortega all had 10's for form as well!
Howard had a 9.