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Football round-up: Rooney on target in 500th appearance

February 22, 2020 11:20 IST

Wayne Rooney

IMAGE: Wayne Rooney of Derby celebrates scoring the opening goal from a penalty during the Sky Bet Championship match against Fulham at Pride Park Stadium. Photograph: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Wayne Rooney marked his 500th game in English league football with a coolly-taken Panenka-style penalty for Derby County in their 1-1 draw against Fulham in the Championship on Friday.

The 34-year-old ex-England and Manchester United captain, who made his debut for the Midlands club earlier this month after returning from a playing stint in the United States, cleverly chipped in a 55th minute penalty for the lead.

 

"I'm always nervous before penalties. I've never done that (a Panenka-style penalty) in my career," he told Sky Sports. "I know goalkeepers study penalties so I tried something different and thankfully it went in."

Rooney signed an initial 18-month deal at the second-tier side where he will also work as a coach as he chases his dream of being a manager.

"There are still more games to come," he said. "I feel fine, I'm still enjoying the game. It's 500 appearances but I'll celebrate when I stop playing."

The draw left Fulham in third place, two points outside the automatic promotion places, while Derby are stuck in mid-table.

Late Lewandowski goal earns Bayern win

IMAGE: Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski, left, celebrates scoring their third goal with Alphonso Davies. Photograph: Michael Dalder/Reuters

Bundesliga pacesetters Bayern Munich twice squandered the lead and needed an 88th minute winner from Robert Lewandowski to beat bottom club Paderborn 3-2 in a thrilling game on Friday.

The Bavarians, who visit Chelsea in their Champions League last 16, first leg on Tuesday, have 49 points, four points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig, who are at Schalke 04 on Saturday.

"Paderborn challenged us until the very last second," Bayern coach Hansi Flick told reporters after his team's eighth win in their last nine league games.

"We were not precise enough in our attacking game and it was a hard match for us. In the second half we tried everything after the 2-2 to get the three points. I'm satisfied with the result. But the Chelsea game will be a completely different one."

Bayern, who had expected a far easier dress rehearsal ahead of their trip to London next week, went ahead with a Serge Gnabry effort in the 25th minute.

The visitors, however, had warned they would not be piling bodies into defence and they proved it when they levelled a minute before the break.

Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer spectacularly failed to clear the ball after racing out of his box and Dennis Srbeny slipped it through his legs and went on to score.

Bayern had their opponents on the backfoot after the break but Paderborn keeper Leopold Zingerle twice denied Lewandowski with superb saves and also stopped Kingsley Coman from scoring.

Poland forward Lewandowski finally broke the deadlock in the 70th with a tap-in after fine work from Gnabry, but the joy did not last long with Sven Michel finishing off another quick break that caught Bayern's defence napping five minutes later.

Lewandowski, however, came to the rescue once more, firing home with two minutes left from another Gnabry assist for the winner and his 25th goal in 23 league matches.

Napoli hit back to beat Brescia with stunning Ruiz goal


Napoli continued their revival when they came from behind to win 2-1 at lowly Brescia with a stunning Fabian Ruiz effort in Serie A on Friday that boosted their hopes of booking a European spot.

Brescia, who extended their winless run to 10 games and are second-bottom in the table, took a shock lead with a Jhon Chancellor header in the 26th minute before Lorenzo Insigne, with a penalty, and Spaniard Ruiz replied after halftime.

Napoli, who host Barcelona in their Champions League last 16, first leg tie on Tuesday, rose to sixth on 36 points, one more than Parma, Verona and AC Milan who play at the weekend.

Having lost four of their first six matches under coach Gennaro Gattuso, Napoli have now won six of their last seven.

"I like the team now, there is a different spirit," said Gattuso. "We were taken by surprise today and fell behind, but the important thing was the reaction."

"Now it seems easy, but it's not. We know it will always be hard, we have to be ready," added Gattuso, who said he was suffering with a high temperature.

"For a long time I was afraid because I saw a fragile team with no security. I've been in the world of football for years and I know that when the lights go out it becomes very difficult."

Napoli's first-half attacks were too predictable and they fell behind when Venezuelan defender Chancellor scored with a towering header from a corner.

The visitors levelled five minutes after the break with a penalty awarded after a VAR review.

Dries Mertens' cross hit Ales Mateju's arm and, although the defender was clearly trying to move it out of the way, the referee had no option but to point to the spot and Insigne sent Jesse Joronen the wrong way.

Four minutes later, Ruiz collected the ball on the edge of the area and curled a magnificent shot into the far corner.

Brescia's best chance to equalise fell to Mario Balotelli who got away from the Napoli defence to meet Simon Skrabb's cross but was off-balance and sent his shot over the bar.

Source: REUTERS
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