Capello delighted after Rooney's performance and Defoe's hat-trick for England against Bulgaria
Capello delighted after Rooney's performance and Defoe's hat-trick for England against Bulgaria
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| England star Wayne Rooney played a pivotal role in his team's 4-0 victory against Bulgaria at the Wembley Stadium on Friday night. Pic/Getty Images |
It was in stark contrast to Rooney's miserable series of displays throughout the World Cup, where he proved to be one of the biggest disappointments of England's misfiring campaign.
But where a clearly frustrated Rooney had looked desperately short of peak fitness and form in South Africa, Friday saw him back to somewhere close to his best, dropping deep and demanding to be involved.
"I spoke with him before the game," Capello revealed afterwards. "I knew a lot about Bulgaria's system.
"I told Rooney to stay just in front of the two central midfielders and from this position to go forward, to be free, to pass more balls."
Rooney was directly involved in all three of Defoe's goals and also had a hand in substitute Adam Johnson's late strike.
It took Rooney just three minutes to make his mark at Wembley as he helped win possession, then unfurled a sublime chipped pass to Ashley Cole, who crossed for Jermain Defoe to fire England into the lead.
There was a more determined look about Rooney as he harried Bulgarian defenders and dropped deep to get on the ball and influence the tempo of England's play.
His positive mood was reflected by Capello, so often an agitated figure in South Africa.
A miscontrol by Rooney that gave possession back to Bulgaria was the kind of sloppy mistake that would have drawn a furious reponse from Capello during the World Cup but, keen to keep the mood upbeat, the Italian just clapped encouragingly.
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