Complex sentence: Rooney started the game, but his strike partner Michael Owen was stretchered off with a cruciate ligament injury after less than two minutes, but England still took a first half lead through a wonder strike from Joe Cole.
Split into simpler sentences: Rooney started the game, but his strike partner Michael Owen was stretchered off with a cruciate ligament injury after less than two minutes. However, England still took a first half lead through a wonder strike from Joe Cole.