Rooney the match winner for Everton

Livescores.com

Wayne Rooney scored the only goal of the game to hand Everton a hard-fought 1-0 win over Stoke City at Goodison Park on Saturday.Everton 1 Stoke City 0Rooney scores on returnZouma blocks Calvert-LewinButland denies Calvert-LewinShaqiri forces brilliant save

Match summary

The headlines will all belong to returning striker Wayne Rooney, after he placed a delightful header into the back of the Stoke goal to secure his side all three points on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.

Full report

Jordan Pickford was the first goalkeeper called into the action, on 10 minutes, as he tipped over a Mame Biram Diouf chip.

Everton were on the attack through Sandro Ramirez, who drove towards goal from the left-hand side before steering his shot just past the post.

Rooney and Idrissa Gueye looked to find a way through the Stoke defence again on 21 minutes; the latter picking up the ball in the middle of the park before firing at Jack Butland.

Gueye fired wide moments later after a good flicked ball forward from Phil Jagielka before Rooney hit his 33rd minute free-kick off target.

Saido Berahino blasted over Pickford in the Toffees goal as the half drew to close, but it was the returning Rooney, back at his childhood club, who opened the scoring.

With a minute of additional time already played at Goodison Park, the striker placed a cushioned header back across goal, after connecting deftly to a Dominic Calvert-Lewin cross from the right.

A curling Berahino effort at the start of the second half flashed wide of Pickford's goal as a number of Stoke players wasted a great Erik Pieters ball whipped into the box.

Kurt Zouma then denied Calvert-Lewin on 54 minutes with a brave block with only Butland to beat after being set through on goal by Rooney.

Stoke may well have been back in the tie on 59 minutes as Darren Fletcher picked up a Joe Allen pass, but despite getting a good shot away, his effort flew narrowly wide of the post.

Calvert-Lewin then got the better of Zouma before powering goalward, only to see Butland makes a superb save.

Stoke substitute Peter Crouch looked to poke home an equaliser on 76 minutes as the ball dropped to him from an unsuccessful Diouf bicycle kick, but was called back for offsides.

And almost with the last kick of the game, Pickford denied Stoke a last gasp draw, by pushing away a fierce drive from Xherdan Shaqiri.