Published 10/7/2011 6:44:01 PM by Shane Barrow from soccermogul

England got off to a blazing start only to see their two goal lead vanish as Wayne Rooney was sent to the showers.  It should have been a day to celebrate.  Instead, a cloud hung over the Fabian Capello's England side as they left tiny Montenegro on Friday evening.

The English got off to a rousing start and were ahead 2-0 after only half an hour of play.  Ashley Young and Darren Bent found the net as it looked like it was going to be a walk in the park for the visitors.  The game was only a minute from halftime in comfortable fashion and nobody could have foreseen the wildness coming.

The home crowd was brought to life in the dying moments of the first half when Montenegro grabbed one back as a low shot from Zverotic took a deflection off Gary Cahill and found the corner of the net.  The home side had life and emerged from the break looking for more.

Rooney was playing deeper in the second half and the England attack suffered so.  Darren Bent was struggling finding himself alone much of the time.  In the 73rd Rooney saw red for his kickout at Montenegro's Dzudovic.  The home side went searching for the tying goal with the extra man.

In the 90th minute they would be rewarded to the delight of the home crowd.  Andrija Delibasic was the hero as he earned not only the point, but also a playoff spot for a berth in Euro 2012.  Despite the collapse, England won the group and a place in next summer's tourney, but could be without Wayne Rooney depending the length of his suspension.

Print