France against England

Ribery runs at Ferdinand, who gets a foot to the Frenchman's shot and James collects his deflected effort.

Time is running out for England and they don't look like getting an equaliser.

Crouch keeps possession with some nifty footwork but despite Downing's cross from the left and Bentley's from the right neither can pick out a team-mate.

Owen has dropped too deep and finds himself in midfield, then proceeds to give the ball away to Cisse in a dangerous position.

France make another change. Off goes Anelka (England will be happy about that) and on come Cisse, to a chorus of boos.

Bentley chips the ball over the French defence for Crouch but Gallas sees the danger and hooks the ball clear over his head.

I'm thinking back and I can only remember one shot on goal in the whole match and that was the penalty....

Crouch sells a dummy to Gallas and passes to Owen, who is free in the box. Owen looks up and sees the offside flag. Better play from England though.

Toulalan and Anelka combine to carve out a chance for Ribery, who slices his shot wide. Ribery should have done much better with that from the edge of the box.

After a good effort so far, England have reverted to type and a hoofing hopeful punts up the pitch now. Not what is required.

Lescott uses his strength to hold off Anelka in the box. No mean feat as the French striker has been the best player on the pitch tonight.

The game seems to have lost all direction. France are happy to keep the ball in their half and England, despite losing 1-0, seem happy to let them do so.

The crowd find their voice as Ribery gets the ball but his shot is blocked by Hargreaves. Anelka pounces on the rebound and shoots high and wide from distance.

France have a lot more time on the ball this half and England have much less possession.

Bentley has a little tussle with Malouda, who goes down easily, Bentley reacts and gets booked.

Crouch wins a freekick off Makelele but then hoof the ball straight out for a throw.

Hargreaves takes agood touch in midfield to keep possession for England but his team-mates aren't upto the same standard.

France also make a change. Trezeguet (I think that is the first time I have typed his name in this match) is replaced by Govou.

England make a change. Off goes Beckham and Brown and they are replaced by a new partnership on the rigth side in Johnson and Bentley.

Ferdinand breaks up an attack and launches Owen on the counter. Crouch gets the ball on the edge of the box and shoots high and wide.

France keep possession in the back four.

Crouch wins his header in classic style but Owen is nowhere near to support of him. England need to get much more support up to Crouch.

Makelele chips the ball over the England defence. James rushes off his line again but looks like he won't get there so Beckham boots the ball out for a throw.

Downing sets Cole free down the right, three team-mates wait for his cross but Cole chips the ball up and Coupet collects. That was a very poor effort from Cole.

The ball drops over Thuram but Downing does not anticipate it and a good chance to score is wasted.

French tactics work a treat as Barry is caught upfield. Fortunatley Ferdinand makes a great tackle on Ribery.

England build from the back and France seem happy to draw England out with the intention of hitting back on the break.

France are cutting through England much more easily since the change in formation.

Ribery combines with Malouda, who drives at the England defence. Nobody closes Malouda down and so he shoots; but wide of the goal.

Downing drives down the flank and cuts the ball back for Crouch, who can't get his feet sorted out and loses possession. Anelka races way on the breakfor France and shoots over the bar from a tight angle.

Beckham picks out Crouch from a corner but the Liverpool striker can't direct his header on target.

Downing runs away from the French goal this time, but at least he wins a freekick.

Downing gets his first touch and plays the ball back into his own half from the edge of the French box... good positive play there then.

So it's the two men up top for England with the old big man-little man combination of Crouch and Owen.

England make four changes for the second-half. Off go Terry, Gerrard, J.Cole and Rooney; on come Lescott, Downing, Crouch and Owen.

France got the breakthrough from the penalty spot and England, despite camping out in the French half at times, can't unlock Les Bleus' defence - something they will have to do after the break.

England started slowly but after 10 minutes or so dominated possession and most of the first-half.

The ref blows for half-time.

Clerc plays the ball back to Coupet from the half-way line. Rooney puts pressure on Abidal and wins a throw... but the ref awards it the other way.

Barry whips the ball into the box and Rooney manages to get a speculative effort on goal with a glancing header. Coupet saves.

England work the ball to the edge of the French box but can't find the pass to unlock the defence. Very frustrating.

Rooney is chasing down the ball but the French defenders just play it around and make space to launch an attack; Hargreaves breaks it up once again for England.

Beckham tracks back and pulls the shirt of Ribery. Becks gets booked for that.

Anelka races forward but can't shake off the attentions of Hargreaves, who grapples with the striker until the rest of England's defence can get back in position.

Rooney holds off two challenges and plays the ball to Gerrard, who shifts the ball and shoots. Gerrard's effort deflects behind for a corenr.

Beckham and Gerrard combine down the right but the move results in yet another cross into a sparsely populated area. Not much guile in attack for England so far.

Ribery gets booked for taking his shirt off in celebration and France have a lead they don't really merit. One lapse of concentration has cost England, who trail 1-0.

...Ribery runs up an slots the ball past James, who dives the wrong way. GOAL!

Ribery will take it...

Thuram plays a throughball for Anelka, who races clear of the English defence. James rushes of his line and brings down the striker...penalty!

Hargreaves is in tigerishly on Ribery; a nice little battle is taking place between those two.

Beckham anticipates Abidals' haede clearance and starts and England attack. Their is some good movement down the left side but not enough awarness to get through Les Bleus' defence.

Ribery fouls Hargreaves... and that is about all that has happened.

France made an excellent start but it is England on top for this period of the game.

Ferdinand has free header at the back post from a corner. The defender heads the ball back across goal for his team-mates but he should have gone for goal. The chance comes to nothing.

England seem to have got a grip on the game now. they are playing at a leisurely pace which is a break from the norm - it must be under instruction from Capello.

Wes Brown crosses from the right, Gerrard leaps at the back post but his header drops just over the bar. A nice move from England.

Gerrard, playing in an advanced role, links up well with Rooney and then shoots from about 30-yards...and misses by a long, long way.

England put together a 15 pass move but in the end a hopeful ball is punted forward for A.Cole to chase and Clerc mops up the danger.

Beckham lofts the ball up to Gerrard, who controls the ball on his chest but he is on a different wavelength to Rooney and his pass goes astray.

Ribery skins Cole down the flank but Barry has tracked back to cover at leftback and wins the ball back for England.

A Cole crosses from the left but there is only Rooney in the box. Coupet makes a hash of collecting the ball and Beckham nearly scores at the back post.

Barry switches play from right to left but his pass is over hit and England lose possession again. Brown gets a grassburn trying to keep the ball in play.

This is a good test of the English defence. So far so good... with the help of some poor finishing.

Brown dives in on Malouda, who plays a throughball to Anelka. The striker spins on the edge of the box but shoots straight at James.

England give the ball away cheaply - that has happened a lot already. Meanwhile, France look composed when they attack.

Brown defends well against Malouda and Ribery. then Ferdinand gets back to nick the ball off the toe of Anelka in the box.

Ribery angles in a freekick from the left. Anelka gets a free header on the penalty spot and the England keeper James can only watch his effort go wide of the post.

Toulalan and Ribery carve through the England midfield but Gerrard gets back to stop the attack.

Beckham looks full of energy and is running hard all over the pitch... maybe he has been told he will only play 45 minutes

England are pressing hard when France have possession. Beckham crosses to the near post and Thuram heads behind for a corner.

malouda takes a heavy touch which allows Ferdinand to come out of defence and clear the ball. Hargreaves fouls Toulalan.

England play Capello's favourite 4-2-3-1 formation, with rooney as the lone striker and 100 cap Beckham in the midfield three. France go 4-4-2.

France get the game underway - kicking from right to left.

England are wearing red and white, France are in all Blue. There will be minute's silence before we kick-off.

The national anthems are playing and the French win that round; La Marseillaise is one of the best anthems there is.

The French team is: Coupet, Abidal, Gallas, Makelele, Malouda, Toulalan, Clerc, Thuram, Trezeguet, Ribery, Anelka.

As you may have noticed David Beckham will start in the Stade de France tonight and will become only the fifth player to reach 100 England caps.

The England team is: James, Brown, Ferdinand, Terry, A Cole, Hargreaves, Barry, J Cole, Beckham, Gerrard, Rooney.

Join us for Fabio Capello's second game in charge of England at 20.00 GMT - as he runs the rule over Rio Ferdinand as England captain.

Crouch wins a freekick off Makelele but then hoof the ball straight out for a throw.

Hargreaves takes agood touch in midfield to keep possession for England but his team-mates aren't upto the same standard.

France also make a change. Trezeguet (I think that is the first time I have typed his name in this match) is replaced by Govou.

England make a change. Off goes Beckham and Brown and they are replaced by a new partnership on the rigth side in Johnson and Bentley.

Ferdinand breaks up an attack and launches Owen on the counter. Crouch gets the ball on the edge of the box and shoots high and wide.

France keep possession in the back four.

Crouch wins his header in classic style but Owen is nowhere near to support of him. England need to get much more support up to Crouch.

Makelele chips the ball over the England defence. James rushes off his line again but looks like he won't get there so Beckham boots the ball out for a throw.

Downing sets Cole free down the right, three team-mates wait for his cross but Cole chips the ball up and Coupet collects. That was a very poor effort from Cole.

The ball drops over Thuram but Downing does not anticipate it and a good chance to score is wasted.

French tactics work a treat as Barry is caught upfield. Fortunatley Ferdinand makes a great tackle on Ribery.

England build from the back and France seem happy to draw England out with the intention of hitting back on the break.

France are cutting through England much more easily since the change in formation.

Ribery combines with Malouda, who drives at the England defence. Nobody closes Malouda down and so he shoots; but wide of the goal.

Downing drives down the flank and cuts the ball back for Crouch, who can't get his feet sorted out and loses possession. Anelka races way on the breakfor France and shoots over the bar from a tight angle.

Beckham picks out Crouch from a corner but the Liverpool striker can't direct his header on target.

Downing runs away from the French goal this time, but at least he wins a freekick.

Downing gets his first touch and plays the ball back into his own half from the edge of the French box... good positive play there then.

So it's the two men up top for England with the old big man-little man combination of Crouch and Owen.

England make four changes for the second-half. Off go Terry, Gerrard, J.Cole and Rooney; on come Lescott, Downing, Crouch and Owen.

France got the breakthrough from the penalty spot and England, despite camping out in the French half at times, can't unlock Les Bleus' defence - something they will have to do after the break.

England started slowly but after 10 minutes or so dominated possession and most of the first-half.

The ref blows for half-time.

Clerc plays the ball back to Coupet from the half-way line. Rooney puts pressure on Abidal and wins a throw... but the ref awards it the other way.

Barry whips the ball into the box and Rooney manages to get a speculative effort on goal with a glancing header. Coupet saves.

England work the ball to the edge of the French box but can't find the pass to unlock the defence. Very frustrating.

Rooney is chasing down the ball but the French defenders just play it around and make space to launch an attack; Hargreaves breaks it up once again for England.

Beckham tracks back and pulls the shirt of Ribery. Becks gets booked for that.

Anelka races forward but can't shake off the attentions of Hargreaves, who grapples with the striker until the rest of England's defence can get back in position.

Rooney holds off two challenges and plays the ball to Gerrard, who shifts the ball and shoots. Gerrard's effort deflects behind for a corenr.

Beckham and Gerrard combine down the right but the move results in yet another cross into a sparsely populated area. Not much guile in attack for England so far.

Ribery gets booked for taking his shirt off in celebration and France have a lead they don't really merit. One lapse of concentration has cost England, who trail 1-0.

...Ribery runs up an slots the ball past James, who dives the wrong way. GOAL!

Ribery will take it...

Thuram plays a throughball for Anelka, who races clear of the English defence. James rushes of his line and brings down the striker...penalty!

Hargreaves is in tigerishly on Ribery; a nice little battle is taking place between those two.

Beckham anticipates Abidals' haede clearance and starts and England attack. Their is some good movement down the left side but not enough awarness to get through Les Bleus' defence.

Ribery fouls Hargreaves... and that is about all that has happened.

France made an excellent start but it is England on top for this period of the game.

Ferdinand has free header at the back post from a corner. The defender heads the ball back across goal for his team-mates but he should have gone for goal. The chance comes to nothing.

England seem to have got a grip on the game now. they are playing at a leisurely pace which is a break from the norm - it must be under instruction from Capello.

Wes Brown crosses from the right, Gerrard leaps at the back post but his header drops just over the bar. A nice move from England.

Gerrard, playing in an advanced role, links up well with Rooney and then shoots from about 30-yards...and misses by a long, long way.

England put together a 15 pass move but in the end a hopeful ball is punted forward for A.Cole to chase and Clerc mops up the danger.

Beckham lofts the ball up to Gerrard, who controls the ball on his chest but he is on a different wavelength to Rooney and his pass goes astray.

Ribery skins Cole down the flank but Barry has tracked back to cover at leftback and wins the ball back for England.

A Cole crosses from the left but there is only Rooney in the box. Coupet makes a hash of collecting the ball and Beckham nearly scores at the back post.

Barry switches play from right to left but his pass is over hit and England lose possession again. Brown gets a grassburn trying to keep the ball in play.

This is a good test of the English defence. So far so good... with the help of some poor finishing.

Brown dives in on Malouda, who plays a throughball to Anelka. The striker spins on the edge of the box but shoots straight at James.

England give the ball away cheaply - that has happened a lot already. Meanwhile, France look composed when they attack.

Brown defends well against Malouda and Ribery. then Ferdinand gets back to nick the ball off the toe of Anelka in the box.

Ribery angles in a freekick from the left. Anelka gets a free header on the penalty spot and the England keeper James can only watch his effort go wide of the post.

Toulalan and Ribery carve through the England midfield but Gerrard gets back to stop the attack.

Beckham looks full of energy and is running hard all over the pitch... maybe he has been told he will only play 45 minutes

England are pressing hard when France have possession. Beckham crosses to the near post and Thuram heads behind for a corner.

malouda takes a heavy touch which allows Ferdinand to come out of defence and clear the ball. Hargreaves fouls Toulalan.

England play Capello's favourite 4-2-3-1 formation, with rooney as the lone striker and 100 cap Beckham in the midfield three. France go 4-4-2.

France get the game underway - kicking from right to left.

England are wearing red and white, France are in all Blue. There will be minute's silence before we kick-off.

The national anthems are playing and the French win that round; La Marseillaise is one of the best anthems there is.

The French team is: Coupet, Abidal, Gallas, Makelele, Malouda, Toulalan, Clerc, Thuram, Trezeguet, Ribery, Anelka.

As you may have noticed David Beckham will start in the Stade de France tonight and will become only the fifth player to reach 100 England caps.

The England team is: James, Brown, Ferdinand, Terry, A Cole, Hargreaves, Barry, J Cole, Beckham, Gerrard, Rooney.

Join us for Fabio Capello's second game in charge of England at 20.00 GMT - as he runs the rule over Rio Ferdinand as England captain.