Soccer: History-man Rooney calms England nerves

7.30am

COIMBRA, Portugal - Wayne Rooney struck twice, becoming the youngest scorer in European Championship finals history, as England ground out a 3-0 victory over 10-man Switzerland today.

The fiery striker, 18 years and seven months old, headed home after 23 minutes and scored again in the 75th minute of a nervous display by his team rounded off by Steven Gerrard's late strike.

"Two beautiful goals, 18 years old, with this performance at this level -- it's incredible," England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said.

Still bearing the scars of a 2-1 stoppage time defeat by France in their Group B opener on Sunday, England only settled in the closing stages after Swiss defender Bernt Haas was sent off.

"When you lose a game like we did last Sunday, you never known the reaction," Eriksson said. "Maybe we were a little nervous at the beginning."

Rooney's third international record after becoming England's youngest player and youngest scorer last year as a 17-year-old threw them a lifeline before their final group game against Croatia.

It put them level on three points with France, who play Croatia later on Thursday. The Swiss have one point, the same as the Croatians.

Faced with a match they could not afford to lose, England were a bag of nerves in the early stages, over-hitting passes forward for Michael Owen and conceding a flurry of free kicks and corners to a composed Swiss side.

Unable to build any rhythm, England's frustration showed after 19 minutes when Rooney followed through on grounded Swiss keeper Joerg Stiel.

The 18-year-old conceded a free kick two minutes later for a barge, showing all the signs of a player about to get a red card.

Instead, he made history when David Beckham picked out an unmarked Owen at the far post and the striker's chip across the goal gave Rooney an easy close-range header.

A disappointing Owen could have added a second before the break had he been able to connect properly with Ashley Cole's raking low ball across the face of the goal.

Switzerland kept plugging away at an England defence in which Sol Campbell was again imperious, this time partnered by John Terry on his return from a hamstring injury.

Though England got forward more easily after Haas' dismissal for a second booking on the hour, Owen failed to make the most of the opportunities and it needed Rooney's second and Gerrard's strike to finish the job.

Man-of-the-match Rooney's fierce shot cannoned off the near post and rebounded into the net off the goalkeeper, and Gerrard arrived unmarked at the far post to clip in full back Gary Neville's cross with eight minutes remaining.

"I hit it as hard as I could and luckily enough it went in -- I am going to claim it," Rooney said. "We needed the win out there and luckily we got it. We are back on track."

England had previously failed to score in the second half of their last six matches in major championships under Eriksson.

- REUTERS

Euro 2004 draw