9 Dec 2011

Rooney will feature in pool play at Euro 2012

6:43 pm on 9 December 2011

England striker Wayne Rooney's ban at next year's Euro 2012 football finals has been reduced from three to two games following an appeal heard by organising body UEFA.

The 26-year-old Manchester United striker was originally banned for three matches following his sending off for kicking opponent Miodrag Dzudovic in their final qualifier against Montenegro in October.

Rooney will now miss England's opening two Group D matches against France in Donetsk on June 12th and Sweden in Kiev on June 16th, but will be eligible to play against co-hosts Ukraine in their third and final group game in Donetsk on June 19.

The sanction applies to national team competition governed by UEFA so the suspended third-game ban would only come into effect if he is sent off for violent conduct in a European championship match.