Wayne Rooney takes on Kenneth Muguna and Ernest Wendo in a friendly match at the Dar National Stadium.
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Jul 13- Wayne Rooney announced his return to Everton in Emphatic fashion scoring the opening goal as the Blues beat Kenyan giants Gor Mahia 2-1 in a pre-season friendly match at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Thursday evening.
Kieran Dowell hit the winner with another well taken effort in the second half as the Merseyside club began their preparations for the new season with a win.
Ronald Koeman fielded two different sides in either half with Gor also making almost wholesome changes periodically as the half progressed. It was the second Everton team that injected pace into the game and should have had more goals.
Clearly, though Rooney’s goal might have stolen the show for the first half, an overzealous fan picked up as much highlight when he raced into the pitch in the 21st minute only to hug the scorer of the mercurial goal; Rooney.
Draped in a Manchester United jersey, the young man raced from the stands and into the centre of the pitch, hugely applauded by fan taking much advantage of a short stoppage occasioned by the injury to Ernest Wendo.
After getting a hug from the England international, the fan was carried away by the police. However, the stadium announcer said minutes later the young lad should be released through instruction from the provincial police boss.
An overzealous fan races into the pitch just to get a hug from Wayne Rooney. He was immediately picked up by police. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
Everton head coach Ronald Koeman started a strong team with Rooney, new signing Davy Klaasen, Morgan Schneiderlin, skipper Phil Jagielka and the returning Aaron Lennon all starting.
The opening 20 minutes of the match though were not occasioned with much action infront of goal each team taking time to settle into the match just passing the ball around with ease.
The first effort at goal came through in the 13th minute with Rooney’s effort from a freekick being easily collected by Boniface Oluoch. On the opposite end, Wendo had a shot go wide from the edge of the area.
The midfielder who had put in a shift in the opening minutes picked up a groin injury a few minutes later and had to be substituted for Philemon Otieno.
After the restart with the pitch invader whisked away, Karim Nizigiyimana who had been impressive in the opening minutes of the match had two good chances but both went begging.
He was first picked out with a great pass from Tuyisenge, but his shot went above the bar in the 24th minute.
Four minutes later, a similar ball swung in by Meddie Kagere found him with acres of space, but he took a heavy first touch with Phil Jagielka racing back to cover.
Jacques Tuyisenge attempts to win the ball against a sliding Ashley Williams. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
But it was the visiting team who would break the deadlock and came the moment, came the man.
Rooney, in his first match for the Blues since returning after 17 years struck a belter from the edge of the box, after being accorded space from an Olamola Lookman pass.
Gor however replied just three minutes later when Tuyisenge sneaked in at the near post to head home a Nizigiyimana cross.
Tuyisenge seemed to be in the mood and two minutes to half time, he struck a low shot inside the box after two stepovers accorded him space, but the shot was saved by keeper Martin Stekelenberg.
Gor Mahia forward Jacques Tuyisenge scores against Everton keeper Maarten Stekelenburg in a friendly match at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
In the second half, Koeman brought in a new team that included Senegalese international Idrissa Gana Gueye, Leighton Baines, Kevin Mirallas and new signing Michael Keane. Gor brought on second choice keeper Peter Odhiambo and Timothy Otieno for Oluoch and Kagere.
It was this second Everton team that would give Gor a run for their money.
Quarter of an hour into the half, a combination of Musa Mohammed and Harun Shakava blocked a point blank effort from Gueye who had rushed to the ball on the right after being picked out by England Under-20 starlet Dom Colvert-Lewin.
Three minutes later, the Senegalese came close with two ferocious shots from distance which were equally well saved by Odhiambo in Gor’s goal. Colvert-Lewin and the impressive Dowell had taken up the attack duties and were leaving Gor in their sixes and sevens.
On the half hour mark, from a training ground freekick, Mirallas pushed the ball to Dowell at the edge of the box and he struck a sweet curling left footer which however came against the crossbar.
Gor Mahia forward George ‘Blackberry’ Odhiambo attempts to take on Everton right back Jonjoe Kenny in a pre-season friendly match at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
Three minutes later though, Everton were celebrating the winner. Dowell picked up the ball from distance, looked up and with Odhiambo a few yards advanced off his goal struck a superb shot into the roof of the net.
Everton continued to dominate with the Gor team further weakened with more first team stars pulled out.
A swift interchange of passes inside the box between Mirallas, Colvert Lewin and Dowell found the latter one on one with Odhiambo, but the custodian spread his body nicely on the ground to thwart the effort.
On the other end, Innocent Wafula was presented with a chance after swiftly pacing away his markers, but he could not make a final decision just a few yards off goal, with the backtracking Everton backline managing to deal with the danger.
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