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John Walton
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: England v Russia, Euro 2016

England took on Russia in their opening Group B encounter.

Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail paul@the42.ie, tweet @the42_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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Here’s the confirmed England starting XI: Hart; Walker, Smalling, Cahill, Rose; Rooney, Dier, Alli; Lallana, Kane, Sterling.

No room for Leicester’s Jamie Vardy.

Not the friendliest of atmospheres inside the stadium.

Booing greets the Russian anthem.

We’re underway…

Alli takes a pot shot which goes wide.

It’s been a lively, attacking start by England.

Lallana’s powerful strike is parried over the bar after good work from Walker in the build-up.

It’s been a really exciting, fast-paced start to this game.

Alli is left entirely unmarked in the Russian area.

Kane then narrowly fails to get on the end of his teammate’s header.

Russia look a little all over the place already.

Chris Smalling’s header from Kane’s corner is straight at Akinfeev.

England have looked really dominant in these early stages.

Rose concedes possession then gives away a free kick.

As good as England have looked going forward, they’ve also had the odd nervy moment at the back.

As I type, Ignashevich’s header from the subsequent set piece is straight at Hart.

England v Russia - UEFA Euro 2016 - Group B - Stade Velodrome England's Adam Lallana (centre) with an early effort on goal. Owen Humphreys Owen Humphreys

Lovely interplay from Walker and Alli ends with Lallana dragging a shot just wide.

Russia have looked really sluggish so far, with England well on top.

Lallana slips through Sterling, but Smolnikov makes a brilliant last-ditch challenge to deny him a shot on goal.

England certainly deserve to be a goal ahead, such has been their superiority so far.

Lallana plays through Kane and he slots home, but he’s rightly adjudged to be offside in doing so.

Russia just don’t look like they believe they can win this game.

Soccer Euro 2016 England Russia England's Wayne Rooney, left, fights for the ball with Russia's Artem Dzyuba. Kirsty Wigglesworth Kirsty Wigglesworth

A clever ball from Rooney nearly finds Alli, but again, Ignashevich is in the right place at the right time to clear.

Will England come to rue failing to capitalise on this period of dominance?

Great tenacious play from Alli to win the ball back down the right after initially losing it.

The young Spurs midfielder finds Rooney in the box, but the Man United man’s shot is straight at the ‘keeper.

The sheer energy and the pressing in this England performance is very impressive. They have a couple of Tottenham players in the team and are looking a bit like Spurs in terms of style also.

England v Russia - UEFA Euro 2016 - Group B - Stade Velodrome Russia fans in the stands. Nick Potts Nick Potts

Sterling has a chance to counter-attack after Russia concede possession.

Interestingly though, the Man City man instead dwells on the ball and waits for support — a sign of tiredness perhaps.

Rose’s ball into the box causes chaos, but Akinfeev just about manages to punch clear.

England will wonder how they’re not ahead as half-time approaches.

HALF-TIME: ENGLAND 0-0 RUSSIA

So half-time and England have been thoroughly dominant so far.

Sterling and Lallana have looked particularly lively in attack, while Rose and Walker have done a good job providing width from full-back.

Russia, in contrast, have been dour. They have looked sluggish, with England outfighting them physically and tactically for much of that first half.

The one consolation for the Russians is that the game remains scoreless, so there is still a chance of a goal against the run of play, particularly with England’s defence displaying the odd nervy moment in that first half.

Soccer Euro 2016 England Russia England's Dele Alli, centre, looks on as Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev, right, catches the ball. Ariel Schalit Ariel Schalit

The second half has begun…

Nervous moments for England, as Kokorin plays a ball across the box.

However, Cahill makes a good interception to allow England to clear.

The second half so far has been in stark contrast to the first.

The game is being played at a much more slow tempo, with Russia looking increasingly comfortable as a result.

The ball drops to Sterling, who miscontrols it.

Smolnikov then fouls the winger clumsily on the edge of the area.

Kane’s subsequent free kick is fired across the box, but it eludes everyone.

Rooney curls a free kick just over, as Kane — for once — doesn’t take a set piece.

England continue to lack cutting edge in the final third.

Kokorin’s shot deflects off Rose and goes out for a corner. Hart subsequently has to tip over a header from his own player Dier. Golovin then blasts an attempt over from the second consecutive corner into the box.

Russia are playing with a bit more confidence in attack now.

Dzyuba is cynically taken out by Cahill as Russia look to break.

The Chelsea defender is booked as a result.

Smolov is very unlucky, as he curls his attempt from outside the box narrowly wide.

All of a sudden, Russia are right in this game.

Kokorin is shoved over by Rooney and Russia earn a free kick.

England are beginning to show signs of frustration now.

How did that stay out?

Rose’s cross is deflected into the path of Rooney, whose first-time shot is tipped onto the bar by Akinfeev.

England have not had the rub of the green in front of goal during this game.

ENGLAND 1-0 RUSSIA (DIER 73)

Dier blasts home a superb free kick from the edge of the box.

It’s a spectacular goal, and one that England thoroughly deserve on the balance of play.

Substitutions for both sides

Shirokov replaces Golovin for Russia, while for England, Wilshere takes the place of Rooney in midfield.

Lallana blasts the ball over the bar.

Russia make another change, as Glushakov is on for Neustadter.

Russia have offered virtually nothing in attack since the goal.

With less than 10 minutes to go, they look a beaten team.

Kane blasts a free kick well over from just outside the box. Somewhat surprising that they didn’t let Dier have another go.

Meanwhile, Russia make a final change, as Mamaev comes on for Smolov.

Here’s a look at what is probably the winning goal.

Milner replaces Sterling, as England adopt a slightly more defensive approach in the dying minutes.

Roy Hodgson’s side are starting to sit back and invite Russia to try to break them down.

Sterling has not impressed the Twitterati tonight.

RUSSIA 1-1 ENGLAND (GLUSHAKOV 90)

Incredible stuff, as a ball is played in and Berezutski’s header is turned in by Glushakov from close range.

They’ve scarcely deserved it, but Russia look to have secured a point.

FULL-TIME: ENGLAND 1-1 RUSSIA

What an incredibly dramatic finish!

Russia barely looked like scoring all game, but then equalised with a last-gasp goal.

England dominated for much of the 90 minutes against a poor Russian central midfield that had six international caps between.

The game looked there for the taking for Roy Hodgson’s side, who were not clinical enough in the final third at times.

Dier’s powerful free-kick had seemingly earned the Three Lions a deserved three points, after they had wasted a number of good chances prior to then, but out of nothing, Russia scored with practically the final kick of the game to break English hearts.

An entertaining game of football appears to be ending in ignominious fashion.

Right, that’s all from me for now.

Thanks for reading and commenting, and we’ll have more reaction to follow.

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