England 2 Wales 1: Live Euro 2016 blog as Daniel Sturridge grabs a stoppage time winner in Lens
Wales take on England in the crucial Euro 2016 Group B match in Lens today.
Atmosphere already building around Lens ahead of 2pm kick-off at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis
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4.06: So that win puts England top of Group B with four points. A draw against Slovakia and that will see them through to the last 16. And breathe...
3.56: Daniel Sturridge calls his winning goal "a beautiful, brilliant feeling" and you know what? I think I know what it means.
3.54: WOW. Just WOW.
3.50: UNBELIEVABLE! It's DANIEL STURRIDGE who gets it, weaving his way through the knackered Welsh defence and sliding it by Wayne Hennessey at his near post. Both subs have scored and Roy Hodgson's a genius! ENGLAND 2 WALES 1
GOOOOAAAALLLLL!!!!
3.48: Kyle Walker hammers a fizzer in from 22 yards but it's deflected out for a corner by the head of Ben Davies. From the corner, it's Gary Cahill who rises highest but heads well over. There'll be three minutes of stoppage time.
3.43: Six minutes plus stoppage time for someone to find a winner.
3.38: A rare foray into England territory by the Welsh as Jonny Williams pushes on and lets fly from 20-odd yards. It's a positive move but the shot sails well over.
3.34: Rashford has also become the first player born after Euro 96 toppled for England in a major tournament. Yes, that does make me feel old.
3.31: And it's Adam Lallana who'll make way. So Marcus Rashford becomes England's youngest ever player at the European Championships. Hats off to the teenager.
3.30: Two changes now as Jonny Williams replaces Hal Robson-Kanu and, get this, Marcus Rashford is coming on for England!
3.29: Quite good then...
3.25: Daniel Sturridge is bang up for this. He's just taken the ball from in his own half and breezed through the Welsh defence before firing over from 20 yards or so. Meanwhile, there's a change for Wales as the crocked Joe Ledley is replaced by Dave Edwards.
3.22: Cometh the former medical supplies factory worker...
3.20: BOOKING! Ben Davies goes in the book for a late stamp on Adam Lallana's ankle. That was nasty. But it's all England at the moment. Can Wales hold out here? Now it's Daniel Sturridge from 14 yards! Miskicked!
3.15: Get the party started! It's JAMIE VARDY! Daniel Sturridge drifts a cross in from the left and it's headed straight to the Leicester striker by Ashley Williams and he doesn't miss from six yards. ENGLAND 1 WALES 1
GOOOOAAAAAALLLLL!!!!!
3.14: End to end stuff now as Aaron Ramsey tries a dipping volley from distance at one end and Wayne Rooney has a low curler tipped around the post at the other. But what's this?
3.12: 'You're going home, you're going home, you're going, England's going home' sing the Welsh fans again. Cruel but probably quite accurate.
3.10: Probably had dandruff in his eyes...
3.08: It's an encouraging start by England again but they're still not creating any gilt-edged chances. Still, at least Sturridge is looking lively.
3.04: PEEEEEP! We're off again!
3.03: The players are back out again and we're ready to go. And yes, Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Vardy are both coming on with Sterling and Kane making way.
2.58: What a massive 45 minutes for England and, more particularly, for Roy Hodgson. England don't really look like scoring and they need some big changes at the break. No point waiting until 60-65 minutes. Get them done now Roy. Got a hunch we're going to see Daniel Sturridge very soon indeed.
2.48: And that's half-time! ENGLAND 0 WALES 1
2.45: Wayne Rooney concedes a free-kick maybe 35 yards out and GARETH BALE's strike is up and over the wall and in! But Joe Hart! What were you doing? It was a simple save and one you should have made. Very, very poor. ENGLAND 0 WALES 1
2.44: GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!!
2.38: Close again for England as a trademark Chris Smalling header whistles just wide of the upright. It's coming...
2.34: Sorry, that's handball from Ben Davies and that really should be a penalty for England. It's a cross from the left from Raheem Sterling and the Spurs defender just heads it on to his arm. There's clear contact and the England players are perplexed. As am I, to be fair.
2.28: Another clumsy foul from Joe Ledley on Danny Rose gives England another free-kick, this time out on the left. Wayne Rooney curls it in and there's Gary Cahill nodding it towards goal but straight into the arms of Wayne Hennessey. England pressing.
2.24: Dele Alli is chopped down by Joe Ledley and England have a free-kick 30 yards out. It's Harry Kane to take and he goes for goal but he spoons it well over the bar. Or, in other words, about as good as his corners.
2.21: And it's Raheem Sterling! Oh...
2.17: England with 65% of the ball so far. It means little, obviously, but it does show how both these teams are setting their stall out with England pressing and Wales looking to break at pace. Martin Keown says it's 'like a game of chess'. It isn't.
2.14: Another shot for England and this time it's the skipper Wayne Rooney who hammers one in from 30 yards or so but it's about as close as I am to our cat - and I can't stand her.
2.13: And a more direct one from Martin Kelner...
2.11: Valid point from the Great Dane...
2.09: The first chance of the game and it should be 1-0 to England. Adam Lallana leaves Neil Taylor for dead, squares the ball across the area and there's Raheem Sterling sliding in. Sadly, it goes over the bar from six yards. How did he miss?
2.06: The first England corner and it's WAYNE ROONEY taking it! That is radical Roy! Meanwhile, Dele Alli shoves Aaron Ramsey into the advertising boards and a minor scuffle ensues. Well it is Spurs v Arsenal...
2.04: Impressive start for England who've began on the front foot with Harry Kane, in particular, intent on showing Ashley Williams what he's in for. They've got all the possession so far.
2.02: Anthems done. Huddles done. England in white. Wales in blue. Let's do this thing. WE ARE OFF!
2.01: Safe to say he's up for it.
1.59: We've had both anthems and it's a clear win for England. That's a turn up for the books. Blimey. And so we're set fair for the most anticipated game of the group stages.
1.56: Joe Hart is screaming his head off in the tunnel. 'Get that ball! Move that f****** ball boys!' And there are kids present too. And it's live on TV too. Shocking. Anyway, here they come! And breathe...
1.54: Right then. The England team are first in the tunnel, surrounded, as ever, by hordes of pesky nippers. And here come the Welsh. Nervous? Nah, me neither.
1.51: Ah, the power of football...
1.45: Looking forward to seeing some more of Harry Kane's pinpoint corners again today. Honestly, what is the point? Can no other player take them? Really? It's one of those strange decisions that may come back to haunt Roy Hodgson.
1.40: God Save Preston? Must we?
1.36: How's that for passion then Gareth?
1.34: Here's hoping he doesn't soil himself.
1.31: Here's a worrying stat for all you England fans out there. Ready? Well, Roy Hodgson's men/boys have failed to score more than once in 13 of their last 14 matches at major tournaments.
1.26: A little over half an hour till kick-off. Time for that 'migraine' to kick in if you're still at work.
1.24: The Welsh fans are in fine voice - but aren't they always? But this is a new ditty they've come up with for England. Altogether now: 'You're going home, you're going home, you're going, England's going home...'
1.21: Chin up chaps! After all, Wales were the first British side to win their opening game in a European Championship finals tournament.
1.17: So three changes for the Welsh with football's very own Lazarus, Joe Ledley and supersub Hal Robson-Kanu making the starting XI. There's a return for Wayne Hennessey between the sticks too after his back spasm. Back spasm? Joe Ledley had a broken leg!!!
1.05: Where's the water cannon when you need it?
1.02: And here, hot off whatever the Welsh is for 'press', is Chris Coleman's starting XI.
1.00: There's no denying that Roy Hodgson is an eminently likeable man but he's not exactly inspirational, is he? And, let's face it, he's about as conservative a coach as they come. Will his England team surprise us today? What do you think?
12.57: Fancy a flutter on first goalscorer today? Well read this first and don't just lump blindly on Gareth Bale. It could make you richer than Rooney.
12.52: So what do you make of the England team? Still no start for Vardy then. What does he have to do? Even he doesn't know.
12.48: BREAKING! England are unchanged from the team that failed to beat the worst side at Euro 2016 in their opening game.
12.42: FACT! The giant Wales shirt they have on the pitch before kick-off at Euro 2016 is actually one of John Hartson’s old ones.
12.37: The referee for this afternoon’s crunch clash is, wait for it, German. Yes, it’s the man with a name like a Bond villain, it’s Felix Brych. That’s not him by the way. Or at least I don’t think it is.
12.32: So where are you at the moment? Reading this on the works computer? On your phone under the desk during double physics? Planning on just how you can tunnel out of that meeting at 2pm? Well, whatever your circumstances you have our permission and, indeed, our blessing to take the rest of the day off, crack open a few cans and enjoy our coverage of England v Wales from Lens. Well, ignore the cans bit if you are sat in double physics, obviously.
12.24: Come on lads, cheer up!
12.20: In around 90 minutes the teams will be entering the pitch. Butterflies anybody? At least these fans are making sure they have found their seats.
12.17: Wales are supposedly the poor relations when it comes to comparisons with the England side. Not so, it would seem.
12.14: Wales have a Dame on their side. And a brilliant one at that
12.11: Arsenal and England Ladies star Alex Scott has been on a road-trip across France throughout the Euros, and she's been having a great time sampling the atmosphere.
12.08: Hold on a second, breaking news. I've just been sent an email telling me the British Airways world sale is now on. Think the Caribbean sun is calling. The big game can wait, can't it?
12.06: Odell Beckham Junior is an England fan, naturally. He's an American Football superstar, in case you didn't know
12.04: Meanwhile, over at Ascot it's Ladies Day (don't worry, they say the rain is heading their way too!)
12.00: Two hours until kick-off, and these are the scenes in Lens. It's wet, basically.
11.58: How important will Dele Alli and Gareth Bale be today?
11.52: We've not got an octopus, but The Sun has been down at Battersea Cats and Dogs Home, and we've got the cutest kittens predicting the outcome of the game. Find out who is going to win, go on, you know you want to....
11.49: An Englishman and two Scots discuss today's game. But Harry Redknapp is always good value..
11.47: Gareth Bale looks to have been relishing the responsibility of being the main man for Wales during the Euros, and there's been a definite glint in his eye in the build-up to this match. He told The Sun just what has been driving him on //mcb777.site/sport/football/euros/1290493/euro-2016-gareth-bale-says-pain-of-losing-to-england-before-spurs-the-belief-that-wales-can-win-the-battle-of-britain-in-lens/
11.43: Some advice for Roy Hodgson from our man Neil Ashton out in France...
11.39: In scenes reminiscent of the tennis at Wimbledon, the groundsman has covered the pitch from the elements. At least there won't be a rain delay here.
11.36: Talking of Dr Brych, we've just stumbled across a little bit of research that suggests the German is the second most dangerous official England could have at Euro 2016, according to his past games involving English clubs.
11.30: Something tells us it is going to be a bit of a spicy game as two British sides go head to head. So it's going to need a strong referee to keep things under control. Step forward a good doctor
11.27: Two proud nations ready to face each other this afternoon, and here's two of their proudest strikers in conversation ahead of the game. John Hartson and Alan Shearer are like two excited schoolboys! //mcb777.site/sport/football/euros/1289793/alan-shearer-and-john-hartson-desperate-for-victory-in-lens-but-who-wins-england-v-wales/
11.23: Still in doubt about what to do this afternoon? Gary Lineker has a little message for you...
11.21: This is why we all love the Romford Pele!
11.19: SunSport columnist Matthaus doesn't just focus on England though, he reckons Gareth Bale is the main man for Wales who mist be stopped //mcb777.site/sport/football/1290853/euro-2016-gareth-bale-will-be-wales-main-weapon-and-england-must-get-men-around-him-to-stop-him/
11.16: There has been plenty of debate about who should star for England. German legend Lothar Matthaus thinks it is time for Daniel Sturridge to get the nod. Read why here //mcb777.site/sport/football/1290495/euro-2016-daniel-sturridge-should-start-against-wales-england-could-really-do-with-his-pace/
11.14: The country may not be the best at securing a sunbed, but England fans know what it takes to get their spot reserved for their flags. Space is running out already it seems.
11.11: The players can have no excuses with the weather if they don't perform this afternoon. It's absolutely lashing it down in Lens. At least there will be some zip to the pitch!
11.04: Research suggests over half of all workers are ready to take the afternoon off work today. Are you one of them? Or are you one of the unlucky ones who won't be able to tune in?
It seems employers have been warned to expect plenty of calls in from sick employees! //mcb777.site/news/1290866/half-the-nations-footie-fans-expected-to-shirk-work-to-watch-must-win-game-against-wales/
11.01: Three hours to go klaxon. Can Wales delight a nation by beating England at their national sport? Not long now until we find out.
10.59: We're all for wearing your national team colours proudly here at Sun HQ, but the owner of this house has gone the extra mile. Wonder what the neighbours think?
10.55: Rebekah Vardy is getting in the mood and is already in her England top three hours before kick-off
Supporters have been out early in Lens as they build up for the match. All looks calm and quiet as many take in lunch before the first pints of the day.
Police were out in force early this morning to check the luggage of those pulling in to Lens railway station.
The soft approach from the police is a welcome sight after the scenes of previous days when England fans have been caught up in trouble.
