Defoe rocked by death of another relative: Spurs striker exits States tour to return home

Jermain Defoe has been given leave to return home from Tottenham's tour of the United States following the death of his cousin.

 Hannah Defoe died while on holiday in St Lucia, it was revealed on the club's official website.

 'Everyone at the club sends their sincere condolences to Jermain and his family and all our thoughts are with them at this sad time,' read a statement.

 The club have granted the 29-year-old compassionate leave from the remainder of the tour following the death of his cousin, Hannah Defoe, who passed away while on holiday in St Lucia.

 The tragedy struck just weeks after Defoe left the England camp during Euro 2012 following the death of his father.

 Defoe returned to England during the tournament after his father Jimmy died following a long fight with throat cancer.

 And the Spurs striker was rocked by the death of his half-brother Jade in 2009.

 Jade Defoe, 26, fell into a coma following a street attack in Leytonstone, east London, and died in April 2009.

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Beckham omitted from Team GB Olympic football squad

LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham has revealed that he has been left out of the Team GB Olympic football squad. T

he former England captain had been included in coach Stuart Pearce's 35-man shortlist, and was expected to be named in the final squad of 18 as one of three over-age players. 

 Craig Bellamy has already confirmed his place in Pearce's plans and fellow Welshman Ryan Giggs is also reportedly set to be involved. 

 Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole and Manchester City's Micah Richards have also been linked after both missed out on a place in England's squad for Euro 2012. 

Everyone knows how much playing for my country has always meant to me," Beckham said in a statement. "So I would have been honoured to have been part of this unique Team GB squad. 

Naturally I am very disappointed, but there will be no bigger supporter of the team than me. And like everyone, I will be hoping they can win the gold. 

Beckham had hoped to make a comeback on the international stage having captained England for nearly six years between 2000 and 2006. 

He is the Three Lions' most-capped outfield player with 115 national team appearances to his name. 

 Now 37, the former Manchester United star last turned out for his country in 2009 having left Real Madrid two years earlier to play in the MLS.

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Hodgson defends Rooney over Capello criticism

England manager Roy Hodgson has defended Wayne Rooney's performance at Euro 2012 after Fabio Capello's criticism of the forward. 

 The former Three Lions manager hit out at Rooney's 'lost in translation' jibe on Tuesday by suggesting that he could 'only understand Scottish'. 

 Hodgson, however, leapt to the defence of the 26-year-old before continuing to praise the squad for their efforts in Poland and Ukraine, where they fell in the quarter-finals to Italy. Capello is entitled to his opinions, I suppose," Hodgson said. 

I don't know what relationship he would have had with Wayne but I always think it's a bit cheap to kid on a player who was so anxious to do well. 

His attitude was magnificent. He was putting in extra work in training because he was concerned he was behind the others having missed the first two games through suspension. "He was trying to do extra work and we were trying to put the brakes on. 

His desire to do well was enormous. "In the final game (against Italy) he, along with one or two other players, didn't play to the level he can but that's what football is about. 

If every player was a robot and played at the same level in every game then football would be a very simple game and we wouldn't need coaches. 

Aside from a promising opening 20 minutes in which Glen Johnson and Danny Welbeck were unlucky not to score, England were vastly outplayed by Italy on Sunday and eventually succumbed to defeat in the dreaded penalty shootout. 

Maybe it (the quarter-final) was a bridge too far," Hodgson said. "We ran out of legs a bit in the final part and didn't keep the ball as well as we should have done but it was a valiant effort to take the game to penalties. 

There was a brief period in the first half when we showed what we could do but we couldn't keep that up. Getting to penalties was the best we could do. "I don't think we could have done much more. 

The players' focus couldn’t have been better, and the effort couldn't have been better. "In the first half that showed. 

At half-time I didn't see any reason to believe we couldn't win the game. But in the second half and extra-time it was obvious they were in the ascendancy and we were thankful for some magnificent defending to make sure we stayed in the game. 

There was no surrender. It was a great effort and I feel very proud of what the players did for me on the pitch. But there will always be recriminations if you don't get as far as you'd like, and achieve what you want to."

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Mancini: Balotelli was better than Rooney

Roberto Mancini believes Italy's Mario Balotelli eclipsed Wayne Rooney during Sunday's Euro 2012 quarter-final with England.

 Rooney was a peripheral figure as Roy Hodgson's side struggled to contain Italy in Kiev, and Cesare Prandelli's outfit eventually prevailed on penalties after a 0-0 draw. 

 Mancini has hit back at those who have questioned Balotelli's part in the victory after missing a number of gilt-edged chances, saying that his City marksman outperformed Rooney. 

I think perhaps many are underestimating what (Balotelli) did," Mancini told the Corriere dello Sport. "He was always at the heart of the game, had five or six chances, and was a bit unlucky. 

But we want to compare him with Rooney, who we only noticed when it came to penalties. 'Super Mario' did much better, and he's a great striker we must support all the way." 

 The Premier League-winning manager went on to praise the play of Prandelli's side, who controlled much of the last-eight fixture on their way to a semi-final meeting with Germany. "The Azzurri dominated almost the entire match, by far and away, as if they came down from another planet," he said. 

In the second half and in extra time, they crushed England. "They took my breath away as I waited for the killer goal. That it did not come was only down to tiny details. Beyond Balotelli I saw a great Italy. 

Prandelli also made changes very well while Hodgson thought only to defend himself and had no effect. 

When (Antonio) Nocerino and (Alessandro) Diamanti came on, they gave a great boost." Italy will now compete with Germany for a place in Sunday's final.

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England tried to 'pull a Chelsea', claims Diamanti

Italy midfielder Alessandro Diamanti has criticised England's defensive approach to the two sides' Euro 2012 quarter-final on Sunday evening, claiming that they tried to "pull a Chelsea". 

Cesare Prandelli's team eventually won 4-2 on penalties after being held to a 0-0 draw for 120 minutes, despite squandering a number of chances before the shoot-out.

 And the 29-year-old was quick to compare the Three Lions' performance to the ultra-defensive displays against Barcelona and Bayern Munich which recently led the Blues to Champions League success. 

England wanted to pull a Chelsea," he said. "They failed. We knew that they were going to wait for us and try to hurt us on the break, but we came here to play our game. 

The important thing was to have possession of the ball and win with our style. We should have won the match during regular time, but wasted so many chances. 

In the end, we won deservedly, even if it was on penalties." Diamanti went on to explain that Prandelli told him to express himself in any way he wished as he entered the field on 78 minutes. 

When the coach sent me on, he told me 'go and do what you like,' and well, I did. 

I scored the decisive penalty," he added. He then concluded by assessing his side's chances against Germany in the semi-final: Germany are a good team, a team with top players, but we can win, this team is made for that. We are not afraid of anyone. 

Italy will play Germany in the last four in Warsaw on Thursday evening, with kick-off at 20.45 CET.

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Italy sends England 'parking'

England's penalty shoot-out misery continued in Kiev as they crashed out of Euro 2012 to Italy, who deserved to progress after dominating the match. 

 Still, after Mario Balotelli's talk of Peter Pan, the semi-finals of a major tournament are becoming the equivalent of Never Never Land for the Three Lions. 

Six times now they have lost in such fashion, the last four at this stage of the competition. 

 Tonight it was the turn of Ashley Young and Ashley Cole to join the unhappy list of those whose nerve failed them when it mattered. 

Both men needed consoling as Italy began their celebrations as, outplayed for long periods of an absorbing game, all England's defensive effort proved in vain. 

 It means Italy march onto Thursday's semi-final with Germany in Warsaw and leaves Roy Hodgson to pick the bones from an otherwise impressive tournament in time for next autumn's World Cup qualifiers. 

 Before the drama, all those pre-match predictions of a tight, cagey affair had been blown to bits inside the opening five minutes. Claudio Marchisio picked out Daniele de Rossi with a peach of a cut-back. 

From 25 yards, De Rossi let fly with a spectacular first-time volley, which curved away from Joe Hart's despairing dive, only to crash back off the post. Starved of possession in those early stages, England eventually countered through Glen Johnson. 

The Liverpool defender continued his run after laying a pass off to Ashley Young and was picked out inside the box by James Milner. Had the chance fallen to a striker, England surely would have scored. 

 As it was, Johnson took vital seconds manoeuvring the ball into a position from which he could shoot, and when he did, Gianluigi Buffon stood firm to make an excellent one-handed save. 

They were the most notable efforts of a surprisingly open start, during which Wayne Rooney sent a diving header over and Andrea Pirlo released Mario Balotelli, only for John Terry to rescue the situation with a vital tackle. 

 No-one could help when Riccardo Montolivo's disguised pass looped over the England defence and dropped invitingly for Balotelli, whose volley went straight to Hart. 

 At the other end, Danny Welbeck's precise effort sailed over after he had run onto Rooney's return pass. It was spellbinding stuff, with Italy having the edge in craft and guile, whilst also looking vulnerable when England attacked at pace. 

 Balotelli's notoriously fragile temperament resulted in him lashing out at a post after spurning another opportunity, which Pirlo and Antonio Cassano combined to provide. 

He ended the half driving over from long-range, extending a contribution substantially more effective than Rooney, whose failure to pick out a team-mate with a cross under no pressure was symptomatic of a player struggling to find his form.

 England were caught cold straight after the interval when Marchisio found De Rossi in the box, only for the midfielder to mis-kick a volley wide from barely four yards when he had the time to do much better. 

 It was the start of an onslaught that had England teetering on the brink as Pirlo took command in imperious fashion. 

At 33, the midfielder now assumes the Paul Scholes-role for his country, dropping deep and dictating the tempo, and for a while, England were powerless to stop him. 

 Terry denied Balotelli at the far-post with a thunderous clearing header, then Hart repelled De Rossi's long-range effort and also Balotelli's follow-up. 

Montolivo got to the loose ball first but his shot sailed over. Hodgson had seen enough and after Balotelli's overhead kick had gone over, Andy Carroll and Theo Walcott were introduced. 

 With Italy making changes as well, the game lost its shape, so, as had been imagined, extra-time was required. 

After their defiant rearguard action, it would have been galling in the extreme for England's defences to be breached by a fluke. 

Fortunately, what was intended as a cross by former West Ham man Alessandro Diamanti clipped the far post after Hart reacted too late to the danger it was posing. Antonio Nocerino thought he had won it six minutes from the end but his header was correctly ruled out for offside. It merely delayed the inevitable. 

That England led after the first two rounds of penalties to give hope, only made defeat all the more crushing as Pirlo chipped one down the middle brilliantly only for Young and Cole to miss before Diamanti delivered the final blow.

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England and Italy fights for right to semis

England and Italy will contest their first competitive fixture for 15 years in the last quarter-final of Euro 2012 on Sunday.

 Roy Hodgson's England defied gloomy pre-tournament predictions to top Group D and avoid an early meeting with holders Spain in the last eight.

 They kicked off their campaign in Poland and Ukraine with a somewhat fortunate 1-1 draw against France.

 That was followed by a rollercoaster 3-2 victory over Sweden, in which England took the lead, fell behind, and then rallied to take all three points, thanks to goals from Andy Carroll, Danny Welbeck and substitute Theo Walcott.

 They were outclassed for long periods of their final Group D match against Ukraine, who were desperate for victory to continue their participation in the tournament on home soil.

 But a lone Wayne Rooney strike and huge slice of good fortunate - with Ukraine denied a legitimate goal despite putting the ball over the line - saw Hodgson's men emerge 1-0 winners from the match at the Donbass Arena, Donetsk.

 Italy, meanwhile, earned a valuable point with a 1-1 draw against world and European champions Spain in their first match of the tournament.

 They surrendered the lead to draw with an impressive Croatia by the same scoreline in their second match of Group C, before beating Ireland 2-0 to finish as runners-up behind Spain.

 While Cesare Prandelli's side are yet to hit any great heights at Euro 2012, they have improved markedly on their dismissal showing as defending champions at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where they surrendered their crown after failing to escape a group containing New Zealand, Slovakia and Paraguay.

 On Sunday the two countries clash in competitive action for the first time since October 1997, when England held Italy to a 0-0 draw at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, in a qualifying match for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

 Expect Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who returned from suspension in the match against Ukraine, to start again for England at the Olympic Stadium, Kiev.

 He will be partnered by either club team-mate Welbeck or Liverpool centre-forward Carroll.

 Ashley Young and James Milner have yet to impress, but Hodgson is likely to keep faith with the pair ahead of the more unpredictable Arsenal duo of Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. In attack for Italy, Prandelli must choose between Udinese veteran Antonio Di Natale, AC Milan's Antonio Cassano or Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli, who would be up against club colleagues Joe Hart, Joleon Lescott and Milner.

 Centre-back Giorgio Chiellini will miss out for Italy with a thigh problem, and is likely to be replaced by Juventus team-mate Leonardo Bonucci.

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Furious Fabio denies he is spying for Italy ahead of clash with England

Fabio Capello has gone ‘crazy’ at suggestions he has been helping Italy prepare for Sunday’s showdown against England.

 Capello’s son, Pierfilippo, said the Italian former England manager is torn over which country to support.

 Just before Capello reached Miami for Saturday’s charity match with Leo Messi, he was told of reports claiming he might betray England after four years coaching the country. Who the **** is writing this ****?’ Capello demanded to know.

 ‘I will sue them.’ Pierfilippo said: ‘Fabio went crazy when I spoke to him about this. We will start legal action against anyone who has suggested he has been helping Italy’s coach in any way. 

They haven’t even spoken for a year. ‘It is an insult to Fabio to suggest he would reveal anything after four years working for the FA.

 ‘He still has many close relationships with people at the FA. He wouldn’t do it, he values what he had with the England players too much.

’ So has Capello been working for England against his native country? ‘No,’ said his son, who acts as his father’s agent and part of his legal team.

 'Fabio doesn’t know the Italy players any better than Roy Hodgson does. He hasn’t been helping either camp, though he very much wants to watch the game.

 ‘I genuinely think his loyalties are divided.

 He is a proud Italian and played for his country, yet he wouldn’t be able to support Italy against England without having some trouble in his heart about it. 

I will support Italy but I think my father is 50-50.’ Capello led England to Euro 2012 qualification in the first place.

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Abate: Rooney is one of the best players in the world

The AC Milan full-back is aware of the Manchester United striker’s offensive talents, and thinks that he will be a big danger to the Azzurri in their Euro 2012 quarter-final clash.

 The Italian admits that the Manchester United forward has the potential to create all kinds of trouble for the Azzurri back line. 

England play a lot on the flanks, are quick on the counterattack and get to the other end of the pitch with relative ease," Abate said. 

They deliver a lot of crosses and have Wayne Rooney, a striker who is a great header of the ball. 

He is a complete player, one of the best in the world. It's an incredibly tough challenge, but it will be hard for them too.

 Despite being odds on to pick up a win against England, Abate is not so certain Italy have what it takes to overcome the Three Lions and advance to the semi-finals. 

I don't think we have been favourites since the start and we are still not now that we're in the quarter-final. 

We have overcome the tricky obstacle of the group stage and now we feel that with the heart we have shown we can become something of a depth charge in this tournament.

Abate then stated that Giorgio Chiellini’s recent injury could cause Italy coach Cesare Prandelli to choose a different formation on Sunday. 

This side consists of many great champions and our ability to switch formations during the course of a match has never been a problem. In fact, it's another sting to our bow. 

 The coach has a great relationship with all of us and he is always there to talk to, he is a   real tracksuit manager, a good teacher and a good talker: the whole squad enjoys working with him and results have reflected that.

 Abate has not allowed the huge nature of the occasion to sidetrack his aims, but the 25-year-old is well aware that the entire nation will be watching Sunday’s match. 

 "It's an incredible feeling, you get shivers when you're preparing to walk out of the tunnel and when you listen to the national anthems, as you never know when your next chance will come. 

We are trying to transmit this passion of ours to the whole nation. 

We are a group of simple guys who are working together to realise the same dream of winning something important. 

With hard work and heart we will try our best to keep the whole nation dreaming."

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Mancini begs Balotelli to behave

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has pleaded with striker Mario Balotelli not to cause problems for Italy coach Cesare Prandelli. 

 The hot-headed forward is hoping to start for the Azzurri when they take on England in Sunday's Euro 2012 quarter-final, after coming off the bench to score against the Republic of Ireland on Monday in the last Group C fixture.

 Mancini said the 21-year-old is Italy's best striker, and thinks he should be in the first XI against Roy Hodgson's side, but has warned him to do as he is told by his national team coach.

 I suggest he plays as he knows, and not to be a pain in the a*** for the coach," he told The press.

 "He has to play, as no one else can give England the same problem. "Prandelli is doing terrific work but he has to rely on Mario. He is too important, you could not leave him on the bench.

 Italy qualified from Group C behind reigning champions Spain, setting up Sunday's showdown with the Three Lions, and Mancini said Balotelli has the star quality that could see the Azzurri go all the way.

 Mario is a champion and champions help you win," he added. "Italy are stronger if Balotelli plays. Look at the other evening (against Ireland). 

He came on, gave a spark to the game and scored a splendid goal. "I consider Mario to be the best Italian attacker. 

Cassano is second, Di Natale is good but he has different characteristics with respect to Balotelli.

 England's showdown against Italy kicks off on Sunday, and the winner will take on either Germany or Greece in the semi-final.

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De Rossi: Gerrard is my idol, ahead clash

Daniele De Rossi has revealed Italy's Euro 2012 contest against England will give him the opportunity to face his idol, Steven Gerrard.

 Italy will tackle England on Sunday in their quarter-final after finishing second in Group C following a 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland.

 And De Rossi thinks Roy Hodgson's men will pose Italy a great threat, hailing the quality of the England captain in particular.

 "Gerrard has always been my idol, he has been playing at a high level for years," De Rossi told reporters.

 "England are very strong, they have an Italian approach, with a good defence. We would rather face Ukraine, but it is okay.

 The 28-year-old has played as a centre-back in two games at the tournament following the fitness problems that have plagued the team's defenders.

 Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has not yet made a decision on where the Roma midfielder will be used against England. "Prandelli trusts me, he showed that by deploying me as a defender," De Rossi said.

 "He makes me play in different positions, which is something that I like. "I do not know where I will play against England.

 Mario Balotelli could be handed a start on Sunday following his goal against Ireland, and De Rossi believes the Manchester City striker can play a big role in the match.

 "We hope we will do well. The important thing is that we cause England some problems, it is the same if it is Balotelli to do it or someone else," De Rossi said.

 "What matters is to score goals, and Mario can score them. He looks fine to me, but at his age it is normal that he should start to take responsibility and be treated like the others. He is becoming a man now.

 "At his age I went to the World Cup in 2006 and elbowed someone (Brian McBride). It made me grow up."

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Rooney the returning hero

Wayne Rooney lived up to top billing in Donetsk as he scored the goal which sent England into a Euro 2012 quarter-final meeting with Italy in Kiev on Sunday.

 It was not quite the equal of Pele's sublime header in the 1970 World Cup final - but after comparing his star man to the brilliant Brazilian, manager Roy Hodgson would have been delighted nonetheless.

 In truth, having already failed to take a glaring first-half chance, Rooney could not miss this one as Ukraine keeper Andriy Pyatov failed to gather a dangerous low cross from Steven Gerrard which took two deflections.

 From barely a yard, Rooney thus scored his 29th England goal, one behind Nat Lofthouse, Tom Finney and Alan Shearer, who are joint fifth in the all-time list.

 Now the Three Lions must hope their talisman quickly joins them as the scent of glory, absent for so long, is now in English nostrils, even if the path is barred not just by Italy, but Germany as well.

 Not that England strolled through as some had suggested. The journey to victory had its uncomfortable moments, not least the controversy that once again erupted over a ball that crossed the line but none of the officials saw.

 Instead of starting on the front foot, as Hodgson suggested, England found themselves penned back by a relentless tide of Ukraine attacks.

 The general relief that greeted Andriy Shevchenko's absence might not have been so obvious if the talents of Serbian-born Marko Devic were better known.

 Devic was at the centre of most Ukraine attacks, had a goalbound shot blocked by Scott Parker and triggering the move that ended with Andriy Yarmolenko stepping inside the box and forcing a low save out of Joe Hart. Oleh Gusev shot over after being gifted possession by Ashley Young and in the final minutes of the opening period Yarmolenko slalomed his way towards the England goal Ricky Villa style, only for Joleon Lescott to make a very late intervention.

 Throughout this, England had been urged to get themselves higher up the pitch by Hodgson's coaching staff, Gary Neville particularly agitated by the failing.

 Yet all the angst would have been removed had Rooney taken his golden opportunity.

 For all Hodgson's assurances to the contrary in recent days, it was evident that after just 37 minutes' action in 44 days Rooney was lacking sharpness.

 The hoped for combination with Manchester United team-mate Danny Welbeck never materialised and his passing went astray too often.

 This would have been forgiven if Rooney had turned Young's deep cross into the net. It had been a brilliant move until final execution, started by John Terry's superb crossfield pass to the left touchline.

 Young delivered the ball exactly where Rooney would have asked given he had intelligently peeled away from his marker.

 Level with the far post, the striker tried to glance it home and sent it bouncing wide.

 In order to make the contribution Hodgson hoped for, it was evident Rooney required a bit of assistance.

 Three minutes after the restart Pyatov failed to clear one of those teasing Gerrard crosses that have been a hallmark of his time in Ukraine. From roughly a yard, Rooney nodded in.

 The band that had been banned on their last visit to Donetsk filled the noise vacuum created by the silencing of their hosts and when the big screens at either end of the stadium flashed up news of Sweden's goal in Kiev a few minutes later, English cheers went up once more.

 They would have been silenced had the goal-line technology due to be voted on by FIFA next month already been installed.

 But, just as Fabio Capello cursed Frank Lampard's goal not being awarded in Bloemfontein two years ago, so Ukraine coach Oleh Blokhin now has reason to lament.

 John Terry hacked Devic's half-blocked shot away but, within 60 seconds, all those millions watching around the world on TV knew it was, the fans in the stadium only left in the dark.

 Welbeck and Rooney were replaced as the clock ran down, whilst Gerrard and Ashley Cole also picked up bookings which may yet come back and haunt them.

 Not that such matters should bother them too much right now.

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Returning Rooney ready to fire in group decider

Wayne Rooney's time as nervous spectator is over and England's talisman is certain to return to the starting line-up for the Group D decider against Ukraine.

 Now it is the co-hosts who are sweating over their star striker's involvement in their date with destiny as the totemic Andriy Shevchenko continues to struggle with a knee injury.

 Rooney's suspension was hard enough for England to swallow; should Ukraine take to the field without the retiring Shevchenko, a small shred of the nation's footballing soul will have been lost forever.

 Rooney's return throws up a series of selection dilemmas for Roy Hodgson, given that both Andy Carroll and Danny Welbeck offered potent auditions to partner him in the 3-2 win over Sweden.

 The manager has decreed the conundrum a "classic manager's headache".

 Carroll's presence would obviously complement a more arterial approach, while Welbeck would represent a significant test of Ukraine's ability to stay tight to a player with far more dynamic movement.

 They could both miss out, though Ashley Young's unremarkable shift against Sweden will count against him playing a supporting role to Rooney.

 Theo Walcott's game-changing cameo in Kiev has provided Hodgson with another quandary, provided he is fully recovered from the latest occurrence of his hamstring injury, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain offered glimpses in the draw with France that, despite his tender years, he can open doors at international level.

 England need only draw to go through but, with Spain the reward for a runners-up spot in Group D, and Ukraine needing a victory to qualify, they will sit back at their peril.

 As for Ukraine, the delirium sparked by their opening night triumph against Sweden was washed away by a biblical downpour in Donetsk as they were comprehensively outplayed by France.

 Oleg Blokhin's men seemed struck by the stage-fright many had predicted would afflict them during their tournament debut.

 The coach put their profligacy down to complacency but, with the quarter-finals a tangible prospect, Ukraine should not need any motivating for this last eight play-off.

 If they are to prosper, wide men Yevhen Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko must get more involved than they did against France. 

The former will have been heartened by the trouble Glen Johnson had defending his right flank in Kiev, while Yarmolenko has a slightly trickier task trying to outfox Ashley Cole, an undeniable world-class talent in a largely average England side.

 Delivery into the box will be key, with Shevchenko's headed brace against Sweden and England's slack defending against the same opponents providing a potent avenue for further exploration.

 Serhiy Nazarenko has also displayed a neat range of passing, even if it has come in fits and starts.

 But no matter which way you cook it, all Ukrainian roads lead back to Shevchenko, whose Swedish double proved that, even though the red light is flickering, he still has gas left in his tank.

 Should he be absent, hopes will rest on another player who failed to do himself justice in the Premier League - Andriy Voronin - who went missing along with his colleagues during their dereliction of duty in Donetsk.

 Ukraine have a chance to delay their departures, with a country united behind them.

 A brittle England could find themselves swept away. England player to watch: Wayne Rooney.

 The Manchester United striker was discussed more during the first two games in the English media than he would have been had he played but, after weeks of training, he finally has a chance to put his stamp on the continent's premier stage.

 His self-inflicted absence has enhanced the notion that he owes England some big performances, the quality goals England produced in Kiev only adding to the weight of expectancy.

 Without a goal in a major tournament since Euro 2004, this would a good time to end his drought.

 Ukraine player to watch: Andriy Yarmolenko. The winger excelled against Sweden in Ukraine's landmark victory, setting up the first goal for Dynamo Kiev team-mate Shevchenko, and though his team struggled against France he still represented the co-hosts' chief threat.

 If deployed in his usual slot on the right side of midfield he can test the ageing legs of Ashley Cole and try to emulate the standard of delivery he achieved in game one.

 Key battle: Scott Parker v Anatoliy Tymoschuk Surely, the two representatives that would be pushed forward if the game was to be decided on an arm-wrestle.

 Both players will have similar briefs: to patrol from deep, limit supply to the opposition strikers, and provide quick possession to the players who can do damage. With Ukraine needing to win, Tymoschuk is likely to have more on his plate than Parker if they end up having to chase the game.

 Stat: In Theo Walcott's 30 minutes of involvement at Euro 2012, the Arsenal player has scored a goal, provided another and maintained a 100% pass completion rate (eight out of eight).

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Do or die for England & Sweden as Group D rivals face in Kiev

Martin Olsson nodded. "Win or die?" he was asked when speaking to Goal.com about Sweden's position heading into tonight’s Group D clash with England.

 "Yes, win or die." And the same goes for their opponents if they are to make an impression on Euro 2012. At the moment it is Roy Hodgson’s side who hold all the cards as the realities of potential exit after two games befall the Scandinavians, but one result could change all of that.

 And the match-up in Kiev will be a fascinating clash of circumstances. Whereas England came into the tournament with a complete lack of expectation not experienced in recent times, there was talk in Sweden that Erik Hamren’s men could go far, thanks mainly to having a squad noted for their togetherness and camaraderie, values many have stressed as important for potential outsiders. One game in, that has all changed.

 Now it is Hamren having to answer questions about why his side are not prepared, why they are not united, and more importantly he is left knowing that every game could be their last as competitors in the finals. Hodgson, however, has a confident troop, boosted by their performance in the 1-1 draw with France on Monday in Donetsk.

 Captain Steven Gerrard even went as far as to say that a similar level performance would bring three points tonight. "They're a good side, but they're not France," stated the Liverpool midfielder.

 Having not beaten Sweden competitively in 43 years, had such a turbulent preparation following Fabio Capello’s resignation, known Wayne Rooney would miss their opening two games, and suffered as many injuries as they have, it is perhaps surprising that England go into the game as favourites.

 They were not against France, and that seemed to suit their style under Hodgson. Obdurate, committed, opportunistic, functional; England’s performance was perfect for foiling a superior side.

 But tonight there may need to be a change in emphasis. Sweden have a point to prove, and an urgency that the Three Lions have not proven they have themselves so far during Hodgson’s reign.

 They have the weapons, with Andy Carroll and Danny Welbeck likely to start up front against a defence known for their difficulties defending set-pieces over the past nine months.

 Conversely, their back two of Joleon Lescott and John Terry have shown before that they can be exposed to trickery around the edge of the box, and will have Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Johan Elmander, exponents of just such a skill, to deal with.

 In tactics, technique, morale and philosophy, this will be a clash of styles. But the aim is the same. Defeat for Sweden and they’re packing their bags.

 A loss for England and they may as well start doing the same. The Swedes are as beatable now as they ever have been during these barren 43 years, and if England don’t win tonight then one would start to wonder if they will ever beat them again.

 Moreover, it would be a huge dent to the confidence ahead of the clash against Ukraine, opening wounds that have so far remained out of sight to the rest of Europe. If they are to ride this new wave of confidence,they need to not fall down at the second hurdle.

 This one is win or die, alright. But for England almost as much as Sweden.

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Gerrard content with draw

England captain Steven Gerrard was satisfied after his side launched their Euro 2012 campaign with an encouraging 1-1 draw with France in Donetsk.

 Joleon Lescott nodded home the opener in the 31st minute only for Samir Nasri to beat Joe Hart at the near post with a fine strike nine minutes later.

 England tired in the second half, but they held France out to secure a point from their Group D opener. "We would have been delighted with a win but as you saw tonight France have got fantastic players,'' Gerrard said. "We caused them as many problems as they caused us so we're satisfied with the performance.

 "But we said before the game that win, lose or draw we wouldn't get carried away and that this was just a platform. It's great to get off the mark points-wise.

'' Gerrard was impressed by the performance of 18-year-old Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was preferred ahead of Stewart Downing on the left flank. "They're young players but good players. Wayne Rooney showed all those years ago that if you're good enough, you're old enough,'' Gerrard said.

 "Oxlade-Chamberlain showed tonight that he's good enough for this level. He's still got a lot of learning to do, but playing with experienced players he'll get there.

'' England coach Roy Hodgson was pleased with his side's defensive performance and felt they could have taken all three points. "France don't panic in the final third so you have to be very disciplined in your defending," he said.

 "To finish 1-1 and ask the questions of them that we did, I've got to be happy.

 "We kept them at bay and there weren't that many situations in front of our goal where I was panicking in any way. And there were a few situations in their third where we would have scored a second goal with a bit of luck." Hodgson refused to criticise the display of referee Nicola Rizzoli.

 "The referee did OK. It's foolish to start commenting on the referee's performance," he said. "Sometimes you'll get a bit of luck, sometimes not. I know that Steven (Gerrard) was aggrieved not to get a free-kick, but the referee was fair to both sides.

 It wasn't one-sided." England face Sweden on Friday but Hodgson, who reported a clean bill of health from the game, admitted the toughest opponents of Group D had been negotiated.

 "France are one of the favourites in the group,'' he said. "They'd gone 21 games unbeaten before today and people were tipping them to be potential winners of the tournament. We can't deny on paper they might be the hardest game, but I've got a lot of respect for Sweden and the Ukraine.

 "I've got to be very proud of that performance.

 Maybe that final ball needs to improve and we were maybe a bit anxious in the final third. But there were good signs of a team wanting to do well.

'' Hart was pleased with the way England had begun Euro 2012 and paid tribute to Nasri for his goal.

 "Samir's a clever player, we dropped off a little bit. It was a good goal and we have to concentrate on the good performance,'' Hart said. "You can question the team all you want, but you'll always get belief, pride and quality.

 "People forget that we're England and we're a good side. In that first 25 minutes they weren't ready for us.''

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Match of the day : France v England, including betting odds

England face France in the sweltering heat of Donetsk on Monday evening with expectations at their lowest. Despite the match having a 7pm kick-off time in the Ukraine, the temperature is still expected to be around 31 degrees Celsius and will test the players' fitness and conditioning.

 England supporters are often considered to have unrealistic expectations of a team which has long failed to live up to pre-tournament billing, but there is no such brash over-confidence this time with injuries and the suspension of Wayne Rooney.

 New coach Roy Hodgson in many ways cannot lose, as after his late appointment following the departure of Fabio Capello a place in the quarter-finals alone could be viewed as an achievement.

 The defence would seem to pick itself with Ashley Cole, Joleon Lescott, John Terry and Glen Johnson in front of Joe Hart - a backline which played 50 minutes as a unit against Belgium in England's final warm-up game.

 Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker will patrol the middle of the park with James Milner and Theo Walcot out wide.

 There is the chance that Hodgson could yet hand a starting place to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but his uncertain performance against the Belgians suggests he will be better as an impact substitute.

 Danny Welbeck has pushed himself in front of Andy Carroll for the role in front of Ashley Young. Whereas Hodgson is likely to play a defensive style and look to hit France on the break, Laurent Blanc's side have the flair to cause plenty of problems. How England deal with their fluid play - keeping shape and not allowing Les Bleus' attack to exploit space - could decide the game. France, unbeaten in 21 matches, had a mixed warm-up schedule, trailing 2-0 at home to Iceland before late goals earned a 3-2 win. But they improved in beating Serbia and were far more impressive in thrashing Estona 4-0 in Le Mans on Tuesday; the latter performance either acts as a pointer to their actual ability or could simply have masked the deficiencies.

 Patrice Evra was particularly suspect against Iceland and although he was replaced by Gael Clichy for the Serbia game he will keep his place with Philippe Mexes and Adil Rami in the centre. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris captains the side while Premier League target Mathieu Debuchy slots in at right-back.

 With Yann M'Vila out, Alou Diarra will play a holding role while Yohan Cabaye acts in a support role. Florent Malouda, Franck Ribery and Samir Nasri are a dangerous attacking triumvirate with Karim Benzema, who scored twice against Estonia, as the lone striker. The last time the two countries met was at Wembley in November 2010, when a youthful France side outclassed England 2-1.

 Benzema and Mathieu Valbuena put France in command before Peter Crouch scored a late consolation. Only 16 of the 34 players who featured in that game are at Euro 2012. France player to watch: Franck Ribery.

 The Bayern Munich midfielder-cum-forward has struggled to find top gear in international football, and yet much may rest on his shoulders. His forward drives will be a feature of France's approach and if he flatters to deceive then his team may do so too.

 England player to watch: Ashley Young. Just over a year ago Ashley Young had started only two matches for England but now he is one of the first names on the team-sheet.

 Acting as the conduit between midfield and the striker, Young has scored five goals in seven international appearances over the past 12 months, and created Welbeck's winner against Belgium.

 He will look to unlock the unconvincing centre-back pairing of Mexes and Rami. Key Battle: Patrice Evra v Theo Walcott Evra had a horrendous season at club level, as most Manchester United fans will readily testify, and he should be stretched by the Arsenal winger when England get forward.

 With eight Premier League goals and assists Walcott has had a productive season, but inconsistency is often his undoing. Trivia: Geoff Hurst is the only England player to score a hat-trick against France in a full international, in a 5-0 victory at Wembley in 1969.

Zinedine Zidane was sick on the pitch before taking the injury-time penalty which defeated England in 2004.

 Stats: England are without a win in five against France in all competitions, losing their last three. England have met France twice before at the European Championship, drawing 0-0 in 1992 and losing 2-1 at Euro 2004. Odds: France 2.50, the draw 3.00 and England 3.20 with bet365. The 0-0 draw is priced at 6.50. Prediction: Though England could get a result due to Hodgson's ability to get the most out of underdogs, France should have too much in the attacking third.

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