2 minute mark: Howard stops a hard shot from Bellamy.
7 minute mark: Howard stops a hard shot from Bellamy
11 minute mark: Djemba with a hard shot.. the keeper punches it over the bar.
18 minute mark: Downing steals it at midfield.. dribbles down the left side of the pitch.. crosses to Rooney who is breaking past the defender.. Placente tackles him with a very vicious two footed tackle.. whistle... Red card to Placente.. he is ejected.. Penalty shot awarded! Rooney steps up to take it, he clearly wants this goal.... Shoots.. to the left of the keeper.. the keeper dives.. saves it.
25 minute mark: Downing burns a few defenders down the left side of the pitch.. crosses to Smith.. he heads it.. over the bar.
38 minute mark: Jensen takes a free kick from just outside the box.. curves it.. around the wall.. into the upper right corner.. GOAL. Down 1-0
41 minute mark: Downing's cross just sails over Rooney's head.
44 minute mark: Rooney gets a yellow card for a trip on Kroldrup.
Halftime: Down 1-0.
We have a full house of over 75,000 fans here today.
Rooney is slightly hurt, I'll pull him soon if he continues to limp.
46 minute mark: Downing gets a yellow card for unfairly jumping with Sagnol.
57 minute mark: Downing gets it at midfield.. plays a nice leading pass to Djemba just outside the box.. Djemba runs up to it.. kicks it hard.. upper right corner.. GOAL!!!! 1-1.
Rooney is limping still, I put Adriano on for him.
61 minute mark: Smith passes to Fletcher in the box.. hard shot.. the keeper saves it.
80 minute mark: I see that Chelsea has won.. we have to win. A tie is not good enough. I sub van Nistelrooy on for Smith who is tired.
82 minute mark: van Nistelrooy is tackled just outside the box.. Eagles takes the free kick.. passes it to Fletcher who is just a few yards right of him.. Fletcher blazes a curling shot.. it curves.. curves.. sails into the upper right corner of the net!!! GOAL!!!! 2-1.
Game over. 2-1 win for us
We outshot them 9-4 (6-4 on target)
Downing won MoM, 10 for form, 19 of 22 passes, 1 of 1 tackles, 0 of 4 headers, 1 interception, 15 runs, 2 fouls drawn, 1 assist.
Eagles and Fletcher both had 8's. Everyone else had a 7, except for Rooney who had a disappointing 4 (he became a shell of himself after missing the penalty shot.)
We continue to ride in 1st place.
Post Match Info:
Rooney bruised his ribs and will miss 3 days.