ROONEY V SUAREZ

How Luis came out on top in battle of superstars

THE quality of the finishing we have seen before. From Luis Suarez it has become what we expect.

But what was remarkable about his performance here was that he was even on the pitch when he scored a brilliant winner for Uruguay.

In the end he went off with cramp, understandably so 28 days after having surgery on an injured knee. But not before accelerating away from a static, stuttering England defence in the 84th minute of this match — 84 minutes for heaven’s sake — and pushing Roy Hodgson’s side to the brink of elimination from the tournament.

This, of course, was a night when England wished for something similar from Wayne Rooney, and when he equalised to cancel out Suarez’s first-half strike it seemed he had at last made an impact. In his 10th game at his third World Cup, the player who

BURDEN OF HOPE

promised so much when he first burst on to the international stage at Euro 2004 had scored a World Cup goal.

There was a reason why Steven Gerrard extended an arm across Rooney’s shoulders in the tunnel moments before kick- off and whispered into his ear. England’s captain knew how important a match this was for his international colleague. Just as he knew it was time for England’s talismanic striker to finally put that considerable talent to use on the greatest stage of all. Uruguay were looking to Suarez to provide similar inspiration after their defeat by Costa Rica, so the burden of expectation was heavy on both these players on a night when defeat would leave their teams in a most precarious position.

CENTRAL ROLES

Rooney played, as expected, in his favoured No 10 role. If he was a peripheral figure on the left flank against Italy, here was an opportunity to stamp his authority on the tournament.

He was far from England’s worst player and only Gerrard covered more ground than the Manchester United forward. In total Rooney ran 10.36km. He also went close on two other occasions and created an excellent chance for Daniel Sturridge. But you have to wonder if switching Rooney with Raheem Sterling was the right move when the youngster was so impressive

against Italy. On the right, he created not one chance before being hooked by Hodgson. And England lacked the drive they had with Sterling in the central role.

Rooney may have devoted too much energy running into areas away from the zone where he needed to be most effective; between Sturridge and the midfield. Compare that to Suarez. He planted himself between England’s centre halves and punished them.

QUALITY OF OPPONENTS

If Rooney took encouragement from Uruguay’s defensive display against Costa Rica, the changes Oscar Tabarez was forced to make because of injury and suspension would have given him further cause for optimism. There was Alvaro Pereira at left back; once of Porto and Inter Milan but now at Sao Paulo. But more significantly there was Jose Gimenez, 19, a centre half with only one league appearance for Atletico Madrid. He was nowhere to be seen when Rooney arrived to meet Glen Johnson’s ball for England’s equaliser.

But Suarez must have fancied his chances too against defenders he knows well. They also looked fragile in their opening game and he embarrassed Phil Jagielka much as Mario Balotelli did Gary Cahill.

As Danny Mills said last night: ‘If the centre forward can see the number on your back you are in trouble.’ What’s more, if a centre forward is allowed to seize on a long ball and score unchallenged, the entire defence has failed in its principal task.

Never mind the quality of the finish. That was shocking defending from England.

FITNESS AN ISSUE?

Suarez might have declared himself 100 per cent fit but, seriously, who was he kidding? Nobody returns at their best in the first game after that kind of absence. What we saw though, in both the header he scored and the finish he produced, was the natural skill, agility and athleticism he possesses. Not to mention that killer instinct. It’s what makes him so outstanding.

If there were fitness concerns about Rooney before the tournament, and one still wonders how disciplined he was in getting himself ready for the World Cup given his weakness for some of the finer things in life, he answered his critics here.

MISSED CHANCES

Suarez wasted one good chance in the 51st minute when he had a clear shot on Joe Hart’s goal.

But just look at the statistics here. Suarez has now scored 40 international goals in 78 appearances, 11 of those coming in qualifying for this World Cup. And the two he scored here came on a night when he was also taking Uruguay’s free- kicks and corners.

For Rooney, he will reflect on this game with more frustration. He went mighty close to scoring twice in the first half, first with a free-kick that whistled just wide and then when meeting a Gerrard free-kick with a header that crashed against the bar. In the second half he also forced Fernando Muslera to make a stunning close-range save. But that’s still one goal from four chances, compared to a return of two from three for Suarez. Says it all really.

VERDICT

It is in World Cups that worldclass players shine, and if Rooney could once claim to stand among the best, those days appear to over. Suarez proved that, essentially on one leg.