The referee sounds the final whistle, and the teams begin their tournament with a draw.
90' +3
Benzema takes a shot from a long distance! Hart collects the bouncing ball and it remains level.
90' +2
1 minute of stoppage time left. The atmosphere is tense in the stadium as France maintains possession.
90' +1
T. Walcott enters the game and replaces D. Welbeck.
Theo Walcott, the Arsenal man, comes in to see if he can be the hero for England.
90'
Gerrard takes the corner that is headed by the French defense and volleyed clear. England's brief foray into the French territory is defended successfully.
89'
Milner witha delivery to the front post of the French net! Cleared over the line by MEXES!
87'
Ben Arfa is called for a foul just outside England's area after he was dispossessed by English defense.
86'
France pressuring for a winner as England appear to be content to hold on for a draw.
85'
M. Martin enters the game and replaces F. Malouda.
Benzema takes a shot that curls toward net! Gerrard with an important block for England.
84'
H. Ben Arfa enters the game and replaces Y. Cabaye.
France making a double change; Arfa for Cabaye and Martin for Malouda.
Minute
Description
83'
Debuchy dispossess Young in England's penalty area! The low cross is cut out by TERRY!
82'
Young attempts a cross that is cut out by the French keeper, and France goes back on the attack.
81'
The corner is collected by Hart and the danger is over for England momentarily.
80'
Nasri's in-swinging delivery fails to find Diarra. The ball is out for a corner. Cabaye with a VOLLEY! Welbeck blocks the shot over the goal line!
79'
Glen Johnson called for a foul on Ribéry near the English corner flag.
78'
J. Henderson enters the game and replaces S. Parker.
Henderson replaces Scott Parker as England makes their first substitutions of the game. France have yet to make any changes.
77'
J. Defoe enters the game and replaces A. Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The youngster Oxlade-Chamberlain makes way for Defoe.
76'
Pace of the play picks up as Milner nearly gets in behind the French defense before Evra makes the tackle.
74'
There are just over 15 minutes left to play at this point and both teams are still looking for a way to get three points from this encounter.
72'
French coach, Laurent Blanc is familiar with the English as a player. His final appearance for France was in a 1-1 home friendly draw with England on 2 September 2000. Against England he also played in a 2-0 friendly victory on 10 February 1999, a 1-0 home loss on 7 June 1997 and a goalless draw at EURO '92.
71'
A. Young gets yellow.
Young is yellow carded for a late challenge at midfield.
70'
France with sustained pressure on England, but have yet to find a way through the defense in the second half.
69'
France with the lion's share of attempts on goal. 11 shots by France to England's 2.
68'
The corner is collected comfortably by Joe Hart.
67'
Evra with a high cross that is cleared over the goal line by Cole.
66'
Johnson has a go with a left footed strike from the top of the area that goes well over the French goal.
65'
Benzema with a shot! His attempt from 25 yards out is saved by Hart, and it remains 1-1.
63'
Players on both sides are well familiar with one another, as a substantial portion of the French side play their club football in England, (Hatem Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye ,Gaël Clichy, Patrice Evra, Laurent Koscielny, Florent Malouda, Samir Nasri).
62'
Gerrard takes the corner and TERRY WITH THE HEADER! Terry's attempt is blocked by the French defense. Gerrard's second corner is too high for Terry.
61'
Milner attempts a cross that hits Mexes and results in an English corner.
59'
Debuchy goes around Cole and breaks to the English net! Lescott gets there in time to give England a goal kick.
58'
Johnson breaks down the right side before Ribéry muscles him off the ball for a French goal kick.
56'
England will be looking to generate more attacking play which saw and six shots on target from France compared to England's sole effort on goal.
55'
The corner is cleared by a header from John Terry and a subsequent delivery from Nasri goes out for a goal kick.
54'
A long ball from Lescott to Young looked promising until Young was called for off side. The French attack and Evra plays a promising cross towards the English net that is cleared by Gerrard for a corner.
52'
After a slow start to the second half, England are maintaining possession and pressuring the French goal.
51'
A free kick to England in the middle of the field as Nasri trips Oxlade-Chamberlain. Gerrard plays a long ball to Johnson at the back post! Johnson can not control and the French clear.
50'
Gerrard takes the corner for England to the near post. Lloris comes forward and collects for France.
49'
Milner plays a ball back to his keeper Joe Hart that is nearly cut out by France! Hart saves the play by going to ground to collect the ball.
47'
England will be looking to continue a recent trend, in which they have not lost a game in their last 8 when it was 1-1 at half time.
46'
France kick off to get the second half underway!
45' +1
The referee blows for half time and it is all tied up at 1. All is set for an exciting second half!
45'
A shot by Cabaye is deflected by Gerrard for another French corner. Hart punches clear! Benzema charges in on Cole and wins yet another corner.
44'
France are attacking with a slow and steady build-up, while England are content to use the counter-attack.
43'
The corner taken by Nasri only finds English defenders who clear. Malouda takes a shot from the top of the area that is blocked by the English defense!
42'
Ribéry goes around Gerrard on the left and delivers a cross that is blocked for a corner.
40'
Nasri and Hart are teamates at Manchester City, but both fighting for victory against one another today.
39'
S. Nasri has scored a goal for France! Assist by F. Ribéry.
Samir Nasri FINDS THE GOAL! Nasri takes a quick shot from the top of the area that rockets past Hart at the near post. France is back in the game!
38'
Of the teams that made it through to the finals, only Greece scored fewer goals than France. They will need to find some goals here if they are to beat England.
37'
Many of the players having trouble keeping their footing on a wet surface.
35'
The free kick tacken by Nasri is headed by Diarra goal bound. SAVE IS MADE BY HART! Ribéry heads it back to the area and Diarra's second attempt is saved!
34'
A. Oxlade-Chamberlain gets yellow.
Oxlade-Chamberlain recieves a yellow for a sliding tackle on Debuchy.
32'
France are least experienced team in EURO 2012. Only 3 players on the squad have ever won a game at major finals.
30'
J. Lescott has scored a goal for England! Assist by S. Gerrard.
Gerrards second delivery finds Lescott behind the French defense. Lescott heads it over the right shoulder of French keeper for his first international goal! England lead 1-0, and the GAME IS ON!
29'
Gerrard takes a free kick for England and delivers a cross into the area, but the whistle blew before the kick was made and it will be retaken.
28'
Debuchy played into the penalty area. His cross is deflected and Hart is forced to make a save at the near post!
27'
England beat France in the group stage on the way to winning the 1966 FIFA World Cup – their only major international success to date. They also won the sides' opening match of the 1982 World Cup.
25'
The warm weather has not dampered the crowds spirit in a very noisy Donetsk stadium.
24'
The French pressing forward as the game begins to pick up pace. Debuchy crosses into the middle of the penalty area, but Terry clears with a volley.
23'
Play resumes as Welbeck is able to continue, to play for a team that is riddled with injuries already.
22'
Welbeck is down on the field as a French defender inadvertently came down on his left foot.
21'
France are least experienced team in EURO 2012. Only 3 players on the squad have ever won a game at major finals.
19'
A header from Johnson to his keeper Hart is nearly cut out by the French! Hart successfully collects much to the relief of Glen Johnson.
18'
Oxlade-Chamberlain plays a beautiful through ball to Young, but play is stopped for offside. England continue to generate promising chances.
17'
England have yet to win in four UEFA European Championship games against France, recording two draws and two defeats.
16'
Cabaye takes a blistering shot from 25 yards out that is stopped by Hart.
15'
Milner recieves a through ball from Young and goes around the French keeper but misses an open goal wide to the left!
14'
The English break on a counter with Young, but Mexes tracks back to stop the attack.
12'
Of the 28 official meetings with one another, England boasts the better record with 16 wins and 8 losses. Yet in the six competitive encounters between the countries neither country holds bragging rights, with 2 wins each and 2 draws.
11'
Hart comes out to collect the corner by can't hold on and his defense clears the danger. Nasri takes a shot from well out that goes just wide of the left post!
10'
Ribéry finds much space on the left side of the field but is marshaled out by the English defense for a corner.
8'
The free kick by Malouda floats to the back post. Tense moments for the English as the ball bounces around the penalty area before Hart collects to end the danger.
7'
Nasri is fouled by Cole on the right side of the field for a free kick to France near the corner flag.
6'
Nasri's corner toward the near post is cleared by the English defense.
5'
Nasri and Benzema connect with a one-two inside the English penalty area. England clear over the line for a corner.
3'
Oxlade-Chamberlain dispossess Rami and charges toward the French goal, but the French defense holds strong.
2'
A promising play by England is called for offside as Welbeck got behind the French defense.
1'
England kick off as this game gets under way on a hot day in Donetsk.
Welcome to Donbass Arena in Donetsk, Ukraine. This match promises to be a thriller as two rivals, France and England, face off in their Group D opener. Your official for this fixture is Nicola Rizzoli of Italy.
Your Lineups for this match are as follows:
For France; Lloris(GK) (C), Debuchy, Evra, Rami, Mexès, Cabaye, Ribéry, Nasri, Malouda, A. Diarra, and Benzema.
For England; Hart(GK), G. Johnson, A. Cole, Terry, Lescott, Gerrard(C), Young, Milner, Parker, Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Welbeck.
Wayne Rooney is not in the line-up for England, as he is suspended for the first two games of this competition due to a red card. 18 year old Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is making his competitive debut for England in this vital match for both sides.
France will be looking to get an early goal against England, who were one of only two teams (alongside Germany) not to concede a goal in the opening 30 minutes in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying.
Commentary
More…