Rooney ban reduced to two games

Wayne Rooney's Euro 2012 ban has been reduced to two matches following a successful appeal to UEFA and he will now be available for England's third group match against Ukraine.

UEFA's three-man appeals panel have reduced his original three-match ban imposed for his red card against Montenegro.

A UEFA spokesman confirmed to Press Association Sport that the ban for the third match will be suspended for four years - and will only kick in if he is sent off in another European match.

Rooney has also agreed to do some coaching in the community, said the spokesman.

Rooney and England manager Fabio Capello attended the hearing at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, on Thursday morning - and that may have swung the appeal, according Club England managing director Adrian Bevington.

He said on Twitter: "Fair hearing at UEFA. Important Wayne Rooney and Fabio Capello in attendance. Available for Ukraine game at Euros."

The FA also sent a team of four lawyers including a QC to UEFA to support Rooney's appeal.

They included Adam Lewis QC, who has previous experience of chairing Rugby Football Union appeal hearings, a Swiss sports lawyer, plus the FA's own internal solicitor James Bonnington and a representative from their external lawyers Charles Russell.

Rooney himself had admitted it was "stupid" to have kicked Miodrag Dzudovic, and the Montenegrin sent a statement on the Manchester United striker's behalf.

The FA are thought to have pointed out that a three-match ban that affects games in the finals of a major tournament is a harsher sanction than a suspension of a similar length which would just affect matches in a qualifying tournament.