Donetsk, June 11

France and England fought out a 1-1 draw here on Monday in their 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 goalbound 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 clubmate 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 a finals since beating Togo in the 2006 World Cup.

The other two teams in the group co-hosts Ukraine and Sweden play later in Kiev.