Euro 2012: England 1-1 France - Honours Even in Opening Match

By Alan Frost / June 11, 2012

th minute when Milner won a free kick out on the right flank, thirty yards inside the French half. Steven Gerrard fired the free kick into the area and Joleon Lescott headed in emphatically from nine yards. Oxlade-Chamberlain received the first booking of the match. From the resultant free kick Diarra forced a fine save from Joe Hart, and on the follow up Diarra again rose highest and headed narrowly wide. France levelled in the 39th minute through a Nasri shot from outside the penalty area. For the first time England were stretched, and guilty of sitting too deep, leaving the ex-Marseille attacker free on the edge of the box. Hart will have been disappointed to concede at his near post, but it was a good strike nonetheless. England ended the half looking ragged and struggled to retain possession. Benzema made a run down the inside channel on the right but Hart spread himself well. 1-1 was the half time score and France could be slightly happier with their performance, but there was plenty of reason for England to feel they could still win the game. England started the second half much better than they ended the first, showing a patience in possession, without simply going backwards, that has been absent from the England team in many a year. However, twenty minutes passed before either team registered a shot on goal, a Benzema effort producing a comfortable save from Hart. Glen Johnson was making numerous forays forward and on one occasion cut inside onto his left foot, but his shot sailed high over the bar. England had claims for several free kicks but the Italian referee turned them down. The half continued to be pretty even, with England putting in several excellent blocks, Scott Parker, as always, throwing his body on the line. Hart had to make a sharp save at his near post from Ribery but in truth the City stopper was not that troubled. On 77 minutes Roy Hodgson made his first changes, bringing on Jermain Defoe and Jordan Henderson for Oxlade-Chamberlain and exhausted Scott Parker. Defoe joined Welbeck upfront, with Ashley Young moving to the left. France upped the tempo going into the final ten minutes and Cabaye had two efforts deflected wide, the second of which might have nestled inside Hart€™s far post. France made their first changes of the game, like England a double substitution, with Cabaye and Malouda coming off for Hatem Ben Arfa and Marvin Martin. Laurent Blanc€™s side continued to exert pressure but could not create a clear opening against a resolute England side. With ninety seconds left England created the best move of the second half, the ball spreading from Johnson to Cole, via Defoe and onto Milner, whose cross was cut out for a corner. As the clock ticked to ninety, Hodgson made his final change. Theo Walcott came on for Danny Welbeck, who like many of his team mates had put in a shift he could be proud of. Seconds remained when Benzema had another shot from distance that bounced in front of Hart and caused him a little discomfort, but in the end both sides had to settle for a point. The draw was a fair result, and no doubt both coaches will be pleased to have avoided an opening game loss. The game was a good example of where both teams fine themselves €“ some good moments for both sides, England very disciplined, the French with a little more flair, but ultimately short of the quality required to be classed as one of the top teams. But the competition is still young and both sides can cause problems for any opponents. With Sweden and the Ukraine to follow, both sides will be confident of qualifying for the knock-out stage.