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England Expects: Striker Wayne Rooney, seen here watching the game against Sweden, makes his much-anticipated England debut today at Euro 2012 (Associated Press Photo).

You could hardly call Wayne Rooney fashionably late to Euro 2012.

Truth is, most England fans are just relieved the their nation is still in with a chance at the tournament while awaiting Rooney’s return from suspension.

Could Rooney stamp his mark (um, poor choice of words, you know what I mean) on the tournament just as the quarterfinals begin and spark an England run deep into the later rounds? Or not.

We’ll find out beginning today.

For more, read today’s column on Rooney and Euro 2012.

Updated:

Wayne’s tournament? Wayne Rooney made his first appearance at Euro 2012 today and promptly scored the game’s lone goal in a 1-0 England win over Ukraine (AP Photo).

I’m not sure whether England won the game as much as Ukraine lost it, but with the country meeting Italy in the quarterfinals of Euro 2012 Sunday I very much doubt that many of my fellow England fans are complaining.

And it was the returning Wayne Rooney who made the difference in exploiting a goalkeeping error to seal the victory.

Good thing goal line technology isn’t yet in place though (if you’re an England fan).

Game story here.