England vs Uruguay: How did Wayne Rooney perform?

The England striker ended his World Cup duck

Wayne Rooney sees his header hit the bar from close range (GETTY IMAGES)

Wayne Rooney returned to his preferred position as number 10 for England's crunch World Cup clash with Uruguay in Sao Paulo.

LIVE: Follow the latest news from Italy v Costa Rica, plus news from Switzerland v France and Honduras v Ecuador

The Manchester United forward had failed to score in his previous nine matches on the world stages and Simon Peach looks at how he fared in the Three Lions' 2-1 defeat to Uruguay at Arena Corinthians.

GOAL THREAT

Rooney came into the match with 39 goals for England, but without having scored any at World Cup finals. He came so close to ending that run in the 10th minute with a 22-yard free-kick and saw a header ricochet off the crossbar, before Luis Suarez opened the scoring. Having seen a low strike denied by Fernando Muslera, he finally broke his duck, stabbing home a Glen Johnson shot from close range. It was a goal that counted for little, though, as Suarez put Uruguay back ahead and secured victory.

LINK-UP PLAY

Rooney came under scrutiny for his muted performance in an unfavoured role on the left flank in the 2-1 defeat to Italy on Saturday, although he created more chances than any other player and provided an assist to boot. He again looked lively in Sao Paulo, with his directness and ability to spray the ball about causing problems.

OVERALL IMPACT

Was England's best player on the night, but his missed opportunities ended up playing a major role in the defeat. His delight was clear at ending his wait for a World Cup goal and his hard work was never in doubt, it was just a shame he could not have scored earlier.