Fumble in the jungle: England defenders fail to stop Balotelli as he puts Italy 2-1 ahead... but the Lions aren't giving up without a fight
- Nail-biting scenes in Arena da Amazonia as Italy scored in 35th minute - and England drew level just two minutes later
- Excitement was so great that bizarrely physio Gary Lewin slipped over on the turf and dislocated his ankle
- Exhilaration would not last for long as Mario Balotelli brought the score to 2-1 minutes into the second half
- Fans given a huge boost after Italy's goalkeeper and captain Gianluigi Buffon was ruled out due to an ankle injury
- But there was to be another notable absence - the England Band, whose brass instruments are banned from stadium
- A million England supporters have packed into 32,000 pubs for 11pm kick-off drinking 17.5million pints
- Police and ambulance services warned of rise in alcohol-fuelled violence as cities including Bristol rule out big screens
Millions of fans cheered on the Three Lions in vain as England tumbled 2-1 in the jungle in the team's first World Cup clash against Italy.
Roy Hodgson's side went on the offensive with a string of chances, but it was not enough. Face-painted fans from Brazil to Bristol groaned and hid their heads in their hands as Mario Balotelli breached England's defences five minutes into the second half.
The despair which loomed five minutes after half time destroyed the unbridled joy hard-won five minutes before it.
Just two minutes after Italy's Claudio Marchisio dashed England's first flushes of hope, the lions had roared back in the form of Daniel Sturridge, pulling the score up to 1-1 as he danced with delight.
Bizarrely, in his excitement after the England goal, team physio Gary Lewin slipped over on the turf and dislocated his ankle, having to be stretchered off the sidelines.
As the final whistle blew England turned to their next challenge - Thursday's match against Uruguay, who themselves suffered a night of despair after losing 3-1 to Costa Rica.
An exhausted England captain Steven Gerrard said after the match: 'Italy are a good team and we knew how they were going to play and they never surprised us really. It's disappointing because we put a lot into it.
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Pulling ahead: Balotelli's goal in the 50th minute was a blow for the Lions - who kept fighting as they continued on their offensive to open the World Cup campaign
A groan for England: Mario Balotelli celebrates with Marco Verratti after the second goal for Italy during the first-round clash
Anguish: An England fan reacts in the Walkabout bar in central London as England slip 2-1 behind (left) - a look shared 6,000 miles away by England coach Roy Hodgson
Time's running out: Roy Hodgson checks his watch in the match's closing minutes when England's chances of victory began to look increasingly bleak
Nail-biter: Exhilaration among the fans in a sports bar in Bristol did not last long after Mario Balotelli broke through England's defences to bring the score to 2-1
'I think we got criticised two years ago for sitting back and being a bit toothless really but... we pushed and pushed, we gave it everything and we did well.
'I think the chances were there, we created them, maybe we've got to look at how to finish a few chances off but we can't point any fingers. The effort and commitment was there.
'I thought we matched them all the way... It shows at this level how cruel it is, you give so much effort and you still walk away with nothing.
'It was very warm, it was sticky and the pitch was a tough pitch because it was dry and moving under foot but those are just excuses really.'
The slippery pitch claimed its victim in the form of the team physio. When England scored, Roy Hodgson's staff were seen to jump off the bench in celebration but physio Lewin fell to the floor and repeatedly banged the ground with his fist.
With little known about the protocol for injured medical staff, given the rarity of the situation, Lewin was quickly surrounded by a crowd of around a dozen staff from both sides and FIFA before being stretchered off before a bemused Roy Hodgson.
Lewin was first team physio at Arsenal for 22 years and became an England physio in 1996 before rising to become head of physiotherapy.
Come on England! Fans from all over England held up banners and flags in the Amazonian heat - and things were hotting up on the pitch as much as in the stands
The lions roar back! Daniel Sturridge danced with delight as he brought Roy Hodgson's men back level after just two minutes of Italian dominance
GOAL! Sturridge pulled the Three Lions level just two minutes after the Italians thought they had gone out in front, slipping the ball past the stand-in goalie
Unbridled joy: The eyes of the world were on 24-year-old Sturridge, who danced with joy and circled the pitch in five minutes of tense excitement in the first half
They think it's fall over: The excitement was so great that England's physio Gary Lewin (pictured) slipped over on the turf and was feared to have dislocated his ankle
He shoots, he slips: With little known about the protocol for injured medical staff, Lewin was quickly surrounded by a crowd of around a dozen staff from both sides and FIFA
Roar of the lions! The stadium in Brazil turned red for the singing of the national anthem, with thousands of England fans dressed for the occasion in St George's crosses
Shouting their names: From all over the land, Southampton to Burnley, fans came to Manaus - and despite a ban on musical instruments they made themselves known
Go for it Danny! Welbeck led the charge for England as the team scored several near-misses in the first half. Pictured: Welbeck and Italy's defender Giorgio Chiellini
For a brief second, fans thought the team had pulled 1-0 up after three minutes - but it was not to be. Pictured: Italian stand-in keeper Salvatore Sirigu
It was a bizarre moment for the millions of England fans who launched an all-day celebration of football as they packed into 32,000 pubs across Britain, ready for the 11pm kick-off.
The 5,000 or so English ticket-holders in the Amazon rainforest city of Manaus, Brazil, did much the same in the 32C heat - flooding out of bars and pubs adorned with the cross of St George.
Back home, police and ambulance services were urging fans not to drink too much amid fears of violence. But that was unlikely to stop revellers, especially after they heard Italian goalkeeper and captain Gianluigi Buffon was ruled out due to injury.
England initially came out all guns blazing as Manchester United's Danny Welbeck led the charge against the Italians.
There had been a brief flicker of excitement as the scoreline pulled England up 1-0 after just three minutes. Then it was clear the ball never went in and had hit the side netting instead - though several outlets including the BBC were momentarily fooled.
After taking hard falls including one which ended in a free kick, goal-scorer Sturridge limped to the sidelines in the 79th minute as he was substituted for 26-year-old Adam Lallana.
It was a move from an increasingly desperate England team. As the game drew into its final 10 minutes, it became clear the national side had missed several chances - prompting groans and bitten nails among the millions of fans back home - and time was running out.
Tense: England came out attacking, with two good chances in the opening minutes and a goal in the third which was disallowed. Pictured: The national anthems
Rumble in the jungle! The teams lead out on the pitch of the Arena da Amazonia, with England preparing to face an Italian side which had lost its captain
Pride of Lions: Raheem Sterling of England leads the team out prior to the start of tonight's match at the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus
Warm-up: The England team came out to prepare for the game in gleaming white and red before a packed Arena da Amazonia in Manaus
As fans trickled into the £150million Arena da Amazonia for the kick-off at 6pm local time, it was revealed 24-year-old Daniel Sturridge would open as striker
Ready for kick-off! Fans gathered in full costume in the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil, for England's World Cup clash against Italy in the Amazon rainforest
The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric with thousands of ticket-holders making the trip to Manaus - all of whom were ready for the Rumble in the Jungle
Will they be humbled in the jungle? One fan came to the stadium with his face painted ready to support both sides - perhaps he wanted to hedge his bets
Roar on the lions! Fans amassed inside the Arena da Amazonia (left) - while Coleen Rooney's brother tweeted a picture of their dad wearing his Wayne Rooney England kit
Three lions on a shirt: The England kit hangs ready in the dressing rooms of the Arena da Amazonia - hours before being worn by Gerrard, Lampard, Wilshere et al
It begins! Fans began trickling into the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus in the late afternoon sunshine with their costumes - including a tiara - ready for action
As the stadium began to fill up ahead of kick-off, the English and Italian fans brought out their national flags - along with face paint and body art
Is there something on my head? An early arrival to the stadium clutches a branded cup as she waits for the kick-off - and there's no prizes for guessing who she supports
Joyous: Fans from Italy and England alike joined together for selfies in the stadium before the serious business of the international fixture began
Fighting the Lions: Italian fans also flooded into the Arena da Amazonia in temperatures more suited to the southern European rivals than the English side
Rooney duo: A couple find their way to their seats in the Arena da Amazonia, wearing shirts which honour one of the England team's most famous names
On their way: Steven Gerrard led the way as the team was mobbed by fans emerging from their hotel in Manaus to make the short journey to the stadium
Buffeted: The team's bus was surrounded by football fans from all nations as it made its way from the hotel in Manaus to the Arena da Amazonia
The excitement spread to former England striker Michael Owen, who tweeted: 'Buzzing for tonight. I reckon either 1-1 or 2-1 to England. Can't believe Italy are favourites. Come on England.'
Mania in Manaus: The Amazon rainforest city has been descended upon by thousands of England fans who gathered in front of the Teatro Amazonas opera house. The much-anticipated clash against Italy was given extra tension after Italian goalkeeper and captain Gianluigi Buffon was ruled out of the match due to an ankle injury
Getting into the spirit: England fan Sarah Jayne Hart was one of thousands who made the trip from Britain to the Amazon rainforest city of Manaus
Welcome! The atmosphere in Manaus reached fever pitch as thousands of England fans arrived for the match. The city was once at the centre of the rubber trade
Italian goalkeeper Buffon twisted his ankle during a training session at the Arena Amazonia yesterday. The Italian Football Federation confirmed: 'Italy goalkeeper and captain £Buffon has been officially ruled out due to an ankle injury.'
Paris St Germain goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu is expected to start the Group D clash against England in goal.
He was voted Ligue 1 goalkeeper of the year - but has very limited international experience, playing in just one competitive match for Italy which the team lost.
Buffon - who has 140 international caps - tweeted: 'Life is beautiful and I am still in debt to it. Missing one game or missing another World Cup isn't going to change that.
'There are a lot of ways to be important even if you aren't on the field. So, come on Salvatore! Come on magic lads.'
There will be another notable absence from the match - the England Band.
The brass quintet has been heard at England games since it was formed in 1998. But this year they will fall silent due to a ban on musical instruments inside World Cup venues after the deafening drone of vuvuzelas drowned out many matches in South Africa.
In London's Trafalgar Square, fans swept through with face paint, England shirts and flags as they flooded into the capital's late-opening pubs and bars
No fighting now! England fan Chris Clark and his Italian girlfriend Giulia Uccheddu gear up to watch their team take on Italy in central London - drinking Italian beer
En-ger-land! Fans in a branch of Rileys Sports Bar in central London cheer as they gear up for the clash between England and Italy
Tough choices: At the Isle of Wight Festival, fans were facing the option of watching the match with the rest of the country or seeing the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Everyone's getting into it: An England football fan wearing a clown mask awaits a screening of World Cup football during the Download Festival at Donnington Park
MANAUS: A MYSTERIOUS CITY IN THE HEART OF THE AMAZON RAINFOREST
Tensions: Fans are watched as they make their way to the stadium in Manaus
Traversing the globe in support of their heroes, England’s fans have found themselves in some unlikely places over the years. But nowhere like Manaus, a mysterious city surrounded by the planet’s largest rainforest.
Its 1.8 million population sprawls along the Rio Negro, just before it joins the Amazon. Some 6,000 fans made the 5,500 mile journey from England, dwarfing the Italian contingent. Perhaps the Italians had heard tales of the alligators which occasionally prowl the city streets when the river floods, which it has been threatening to do all week.
Manaus is a ramshackle city and that, apparently, is the way its inhabitants like it. In a move reminiscent of the way China expunged unsightly spectacles in the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the authorities have been offering those who live in the shanty towns along the River Negro £75 to disappear for the duration of the World Cup. Few, if any, have budged.
The tensions are a microcosm of those all over Brazil. Hours before the match, police in Rio de Janeiro found the torched bodies of three people they suspect were victims of an ongoing battle between a drug gang and a criminal militia. The bodies were discovered in the gritty Praca Seca area of Rio - about eight miles west of the Maracana soccer stadium that is hosting World Cup matches.
There was not such extreme tension among England fans in Manaus. In the hours before the match, the square in front of the city’s Teatro Amazonas opera house - a legacy of the city’s prosperous past during the 19th Century South American rubber boom - became a joyous hub for fans.
Win or lose in Manaus, England were also invited to ‘one big nudist party’ on the beach at Grumari near Rio de Janeiro today. The porcelain pot-bellies versus the bronzed beauties of Brazil - now that’s a fixture we might just struggle to win.
Meanwhile in Brazil: The England Band, from Sheffield, has been a permanent fixture at the tournament since 1998 - and this time was no exception. They warmed up tonight in Manaus (pictured) - but have been told they will not be able to take their now-famous collection of brass instruments and a drum into the stadium itself
Roaring into action: An England fan in the Praca Sao Sebastiao in Manaus preparing for the match. Thousands have descended on the Amazon rainforest city
Help me out! An England fan circulates in the centre of Manaus with a sign pleading for tickets to an upcoming group clash - and an obligatory beer bottle
Getting started: England fans warm up for the match in the national fashion at a bar in Manaus. The kick-off is at 6pm local time
Let's get the party started: An England fan drinks in a bar in Manaus ahead of the match - which takes place in the early evening in Brazil but late in Britain
Sparkling with excitement: An England fan relaxes ahead of the match in Manaus, where temperatures were only a few degrees higher than those back home
Enjoying the weather: Fans from nations across the world - with a strong English contingent - drink in the sun in Manaus ahead of the World Cup clash
Englishmen on tour: Fans drank as team to was revealed as Hart, Johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines, Gerrard, Henderson, Welbeck, Sterling, Rooney and Sturridgeout in red and white.
Shedloads of fun: John Plumridge, 59, and his son John, 26, will watch from the comfort of their shed in Shrewsbury after they spent £10,000 turning it into a sports bar
Equipped with a full bar, shelves of ale and bottles of spirits, the shed allowed them to get away from the spectators who were expected to flood into 32,00 pubs
True colours: Ralph Holmes, 88, from Cosham, Hampshire, flies the St George's Cross at least five times from his mobility scooter
Feeling chipper: Karina Holmes and Darren Morris hold plates of England-themed fish and chips ahead of the match at their shop in Southampton
Police and ambulance services warned supporters not to drink too much ahead of the unusual 11pm kick-off amid fears of a spate of alcohol-related violence
Towering hopes: Football fans gathered in Trafalgar Square in central London, where authorities have laid on hundreds of extra night buses to get revellers home safely. Right, Nazar Singh from Sunderland has claimed to be England's oldest fan at 110 and says he has lived through every World Cup since its inception in 1930
Getting the celebrations started: This fan began partying early in Leeds as police and ambulance services warned there could be an increase in alcohol-fuelled incidents
An issue of national importance: Even Downing Street has got in on the action, with workers pictured raising a St George's cross over No 10
Even the government has got in on the action, flying the St George's cross and Union Flag above Mo 10 Downing Street this afternoon.
David Cameron has issued a message supporting the England team, posting a clip on YouTube touting the government's decision to open pubs late, despite warnings from the NHS of a flood of alcohol-related injuries.
A third of those planning to watch the game in the UK are expected to be in a pub or bar, and police and paramedics are braced for a rise in alcohol-fuelled violence.
An estimated 17.5million pints will be downed between now and tomorrow morning, nearly six million more than the typical Saturday night, according to the British Beer and Pub Association.
Officers point to a potentially toxic mix of warm weather and the fact that the Government has allowed pubs to open late to cater for the 11pm kick off.
Meanwhile in Manaus, fans from Addlestone, Surrey, and Yorkshire have been pictured arriving into town in style in a boat decked out with England flags
A knight to remember: In Manaus, Brazil, England fans have been arriving ready for battle ahead of tonight's 'rumble in the jungle' - in some very patriotic outfits
Superfans: Carla Fawns with Karen Stewart (pictured) travelled all the way from Cambridge to be at the Amazon rainforest stadium for the match against Italy
Thousands of extra police officers are being deployed around the country as forces put on extra patrols to clamp down on drunken thuggish behaviour.
The London Ambulance Service plans to run special ‘booze buses’ – which look similar to mini-vans – that can accommodate six drunks at a time.
There will also be around 100 extra night buses in the capital to ferry fans home, but the London Underground's service will end at almost exactly the same time as the match does, which could lead to travel chaos.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said it is treating tonight like a ‘mini New Year’.
In Bristol, council officials said they would not be providing a big screen in the city centre because of safety concerns despite one being set up for several previous sporting events.
An the city's Millennium Square - which hosted a big screen for World Cup showings four years ago - is hosting a nature festival this weekend.
A Bristol City Council spokesman said: 'Given the costs to the city in staging screenings, the lack of sponsorship which would offset them and concerns raised by the police about the potential for trouble given the later kick-offs, the decision was taken not to go ahead this year.'
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