England 1 Russia 1: Vasili Berezutski’s stoppage-time equaliser denies Roy Hodgson’s men a winning start
Russian captain snatches late draw after Eric Dier's brilliant free-kick looked to have Three Lions on course for three points
For 90 minutes it looked like a new England.
Roy Hodgson picked a fresh formation had Wayne Rooney in midfield and Eric Dier on free-kick duties — and with stunning results.
Then, with just seconds left on the clock, Vasili Berezutski stuck a knife through their hopes of getting off to a flying start.
Yet again, England failed to win their opening game at the Euros.
And when violence erupted in the stands after the final whistle — to go with shocking scenes from Marseilles town centre — it was like old England all over again.
Dier curled a cracking free-kick into the top corner with 17 minutes left and it looked set to end a first-game hoodoo.
This tournament’s format means it will be difficult to get knocked out at the group stage without having a total shocker.
And last night’s draw is no disaster after a decent enough display from Hodgson’s side.
But it felt like defeat at the final whistle, even if there were positives for the England boss.
Signs are there will be no repeat of two years ago when England crashed out of the World Cup before it had really started, not with Hodgson’s new-look side.
Hodgson fully deserves his new reputation as a gambler after putting this line-up together.
He did not play last night’s formation during any of England’s three warm-up friendlies — and it was the first time Rooney had started a Three Lions game in midfield.
Roo put to rest the argument about playing deeper with his first-half display. It all went through one person and it was the Three Lions skipper.
Around him was youth and energy.
“Disciplined, focused, exciting” was how skipper Rooney had described them — and certainly not scarred by past failures.
Dele Alli was just a couple of months old when football came home in 1996 and England last got to the semi-final of a major tournament.
Here, thought, the Tottenham youngster showed the rest of Europe that England have quality youngsters, even if they could not break through until late.
Hodgson cannot be accused of not having a go.
Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling provided energy before fading, as did Danny Rose and Kyle Walker at full-back.
Comments from the Russians suggested they did not rate Rooney any more — and they made that clear by giving him plenty of time on the ball. So he was able to start attacks instead of get on the end of them like he normally does — and Lallana and Harry Kane almost finished them off.
It was the Rooney show. He was even picking up the ball off his centre-backs and bossing the game.
And when the Russians broke on the counter-attack it was Rooney who was tracking back and making clearances.
When he was substituted with 12 minutes to go, England felt his absence.
Aside from Rooney, the influence of Mauricio Pochettino was there to be seen at Stade Velodrome with five of his Spurs players plus Lallana from Poch’s time at Southampton in the starting line-up.
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That meant non-stop running an attempting to wear down Leonid Slutski’s men.
Dier was one of the Spurs boys and, before scoring, he risked a second embarrassing own goal in three appearances when Joe Hart had to tip over his own team-mate’s header.
That helped the Russians get their confidence up — only to be stunned by England’s opener.
Rooney had a big chance when he latched on to a clearance after Rose’s cross but Russia keeper Igor Akinfeev superbly tipped his effort on to the crossbar.
But the breakthrough finally came when Dier found the net.
Alli was fouled by Georgi Schennikov on the edge of the box and a few eyebrows were raised when defensive midfielder Dier stood over the ball.
But the Spurs man curled his right-footed shot into top corner to score another one for the scrapbook following his dramatic winner in Germany.
Dier revealed: “I’ve practised them a lot since I was a kid.
“I don’t get much of a chance at Tottenham where we have a very good taker in Christian Eriksen but I was lucky enough to have my chance today and to take it.”
But Berezutski had the last word.
The Russian skipper had said before the match that England players may not know much about him and his team-mates — but they would by the final whistle.
And Berezutski made sure of that by climbing above Danny Rose and looping a header over the stranded Hart and Chris Smalling and in at the far post.
From Russia Without Love and now to the Battle of Britain against Wales on Thursday — with England needing a lift.
