Wayne Rooney has confirmed that he broke his nose during DC United’s 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids and later required five stitches to repair the damage.
On the same night that the former Manchester United captain scored his first goal for the Washington side, Rooney was also left with a bloodied nose which he sustained late in the game.
Tweeting after the game, Rooney said: “Delighted to score my first goal for @dcunited last night and more importantly a big 3 points at @AudiField… And a broken nose and 5 stitches”
DC United coach Ben Olson said Rooney’s willingness to put his body on the line bore testament to what sort of player he is.
“I don’t think it’s the first time he’s bled in a game. He is a tough guy and I think that he will shake it off,” Olson told his club’s official website.
“But again, it shows you what this means to him right now. He is in the box, putting his face on the line, understanding that this is a big moment.
“He has been fantastic in every aspect, in every way that we want him to be with this group... with his leadership and goal-scoring ability. Hopefully, it can continue to get better.”
Despite the injury, it was a night of smiles for the player.
Latching onto a through ball from Luciano Acosta, Rooney beat Tim Howard to score his first MLS goal and put DC ahead. It looked like that might be enough for victory until Kellyn Acosta, who earlier missed a penalty, levelled.
But DC United secured the win in stoppage time when Ulises Segura’s cross deflected off Niki Jackson and into the net, handing the side their first win after a run of two consecutive defeats.
