The Warm-Up: Wayne Rooney's rough opening night, Lionesses roar into quarters

Rooney kicked off the new season at Goodison and had three chances of varying difficulty to open the scoring in a sterile first half. The first he created for himself, spinning on Leighton Baines’s ball into the box and shooting over from a tight angle. The second was the clearest but, having controlled a cut-back from Dominic Calvert-Lewin in front of goal, Rooney scuffed his second touch straight at the goalkeeper, Matus Macik, while off-balance. He then missed Cuco Martina’s cross completely when attempting a first-time volley on the edge of the Ruzomberok area.

Rooney would have felt wanted, starting at centre-forward, the focus of every camera lens. He did not finish as a centre-forward and his first competitive game for Everton in 13 years was not the stuff of heroes. He had spent hour upon hour on the bikes at his brother-in-law’s spinning studio to get fit for his comeback. But will and desire alone are never enough.

The Everton side that Rooney left behind upon moving to Old Trafford 13 years ago finished as low as they ever did during David Moyes’s ten full campaigns in charge. Everton’s first half was of an unfortunate 2004 vintage, albeit Rooney featuring as the 2017 version of himself: a player struggling to impose himself on proceedings, isolated from the rest of his team-mates and losing his composure when opportunities were there to score, swiping wildly upon being served by Daniel Calvert-Lewin.

They came in their droves hoping to see a debut to remember, daring to dream that the second coming would feature goals and fireworks. Wayne Rooney was the same. He had hoped to relaunch his Everton career with a goal and a command performance but the reality was different. In a war of attrition, against opponents who were determined to frustrate and disrupt, the fairytale never threatened to come true.

Rooney's fortunes didn't improve too much after the break as he struggled for service. When he did get a touch, the England legend was swarmed by Ruzomberok players before conceding possession. The introduction of Sandro Ramirez allowed Rooney to drop deeper and he seemed to move further – and further – back as the game went on in a desperate bid to dictate the play. It worked too with the Spanish striker changing the game in the final half hour. Should Ronald Koeman get his wish, a target man will arrive before the end of the window and Rooney probably won't be asked to lead the line too often.