France Vs. England, Euro 2012: Match Underway

We're off and running in Donetsk, where France and England are battling it out in the sweltering heat. This is probably the most important match of the group stages for both sides - they go in as joint favourites to advance to the quarterfinals, but if either lose they could suddenly see Sweden in pole position to qualify instead. England have never won the opening match of a European Championship finals, just in case you were wondering.

England get us going, and they manage to keep the ball for all of eleven second before a long punt from Joe Hart gets unsurprisingly intercepted in midfield. No matter, thought, they win the ball back and then play two clever balls down the flanks. The first, aimed for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, runs out of play, and Danny Welbeck is flagged offside for the second, but they're good ideas and there'll be some hope that the Three Lions can make the most of their chances down the flanks.