France and England play to a draw

DONETSK – France and England fought out a 1-1 draw on Monday in their Uefa Euro 2012 Group D match.

Monday, June 11, 2012
Samir Nasri netted Franceu2019s equalising goal against England. Net photo.

DONETSK – France and England fought out a 1-1 draw on Monday in their Uefa Euro 2012 Group D match.England had opened the scoring in the 30th minute when Joleon Lescott rose brilliantly to meet captain Steven Gerrard’s perfectly-delivered freekick on the half hour mark and give Hugo Lloris no chance.The French went close to drawing level in the 35th minute as midfielder Alou Diarra’s header was goal-bound but England ‘keeper Joe Hart pulled off a brilliant reaction save.However, the French did equalise in the 39th minute as Samir Nasri fired in a right-footed shot from just outside the area to beat his Manchester City club mate Joe Hart, who dived late perhaps having been unsighted.Nasri celebrated in rather bizarre fashion running towards the dugouts holding a finger to his lips and then mouthing to an unidentified target ‘shut your mouth’.France had come into the match on a 21-game unbeaten run but searching for their first win in a group match at afinals since beating Togo in the 2006 World Cup.The other two teams in the group co-hosts Ukraine and Sweden play later in Kiev.