England striker Wayne Rooney‘s ban for the Euro 2012 Championship has been reduced to two matches from three after an appeal to UEFA. He was punished after being sent off forkicking Miodrag Dzudovic during a 2-2 draw with Montenegro in October.
Rooney will now be available for England’s third Group D game, against joint host Ukraine, but willmiss the games against France and Sweden. The third match of his ban, which will only kick in if he is sent off for violent conduct in another European Championship game, has been suspended for fouryears.
The appeal included a written letter by Dzudovic asking that the ban be reduced. Rooney had previously admitted the kick was “stupid” but maintained that the ban was “a bitharsh.”