ROONEY SPOT ON FOR HIS BIG 500

WAYNE ROONEY marked his 500th league appearance with a spectacular ‘Panenka’ penalty to deny Fulham a victory that would have taken them level with Leeds in second place in the Championship. Aleksandar Mitrovic’s 71st-minute header cancelled out Rooney’s cheeky chip from the spot early in the second half, yet this was Fulham’s third game in succession without a victory. Derby made the better chances in the first half and might have been out of sight had it not been for the excellence of Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak, who made important saves from Matt Clarke and Tom Lawrence. Operating just off centreforward Martyn Waghorn, Rooney made his headline contribution 10 minutes after half-time, when Tim Ream handled inside the box. Rooney — whose league debut for Everton was nearly 18 years ago — took a few staccato steps towards the ball and played a perfect bunker shot that fooled Rodak. But Derby could not hold their lead. Curtis Davies was slow to react to substitute Aboubakar Kamara’s cross from the right and Mitrovic — the

Championship’s top scorer — took advantage to volley in his 22nd goal of the campaign. With a possible EFL points deduction hanging over them for breaching spending rules — Derby contest the charge — Phillip Cocu’s side might have gone in front in the 23rd minute. Clarke collected Rooney’s freekick and produced an angled shot that was brilliantly saved by Rodak, who did just as well to keep out Lawrence’s low drive 13 minutes later. Soon after Rooney’s goal, Fulham boss Scott Parker made a double substitution and one of the replacements, Ivan Cavaleiro, saw his shot deflected to Kamara, who crossed for Mitrovic to level. Cavaleiro swept a shot just over from 20 yards as Fulham went up a gear. At the other end, Rooney’s closerange volley was deflected wide.