Duggan nets late leveller

Toni Duggan netted the equaliser for England
16 July 2013

Substitute Toni Duggan's injury-time leveller gave England a lifeline in the UEFA Women's European Championship following a 1-1 draw against Russia in Linkoping, Sweden.

Duggan struck in the third minute of added time to cancel out Nelli Korovkina's first-half opener, although the Everton striker's heroics - after she had been denied by the woodwork seconds earlier - still leaves England's hopes of emerging from Group C hanging by a thread.

They have just one point from their first two matches and must beat France on Thursday and hope other results go their way if they are to have any chance of progressing.

Both sides had lost their opening match although Hope Powell's side started like a team desperate for the first win of the campaign as Rachel Yankey's lofted ball over the top found Ellen White, who could only fire over on the volley.

Russia goalkeeper Elvira Todua made a splendid save soon after to keep the scores level. With the eastern Europeans failing to clear their lines from a corner, midfielder Jill Scott held off her marker and unleashed a rasping shot, which Todua fingertipped onto the crossbar.

Russia went close themselves seconds afterwards as Korovkina, on the half-volley, curled narrowly wide from just outside the area.

England were then dealt a blow as influential midfielder Yankey was forced off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury in the 17th minute, with Karen Carney entering the fray as her replacement.

The game calmed down after a frenetic start, but England continued to remain on the front foot as they looked to give their Group C cause a shot in the arm.

However, their inability to build on their good start came back to haunt them as Russia took the lead seven minutes before half-time.

Elena Morozova's cross from the left byline looked innocuous enough, but Elena Terekhova horribly miscued her volley into the path of Korovkina, who reacted superbly to get ahead of her marker and head past England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley.

That goal appeared to rattle England as they started the second half with a surprising lack of urgency in the final third.

Steph Houghton's curling effort from 25 yards was comfortably saved by Todua before the unmarked White missed a gilt-edged chance to draw the sides level on the hour mark after failing to connect properly with Carney's left-wing cross to the back post.

Full-back Houghton was replaced by forward Duggan as England went for broke in the final third of the match.

However, they were perhaps a touch fortunate not to concede a penalty after Scott appeared to catch Russian striker Ekaterina Sochneva's legs. To their immense relief, referee Bibiana Steinhaus was unmoved.

Luck at the other end of the pitch did not appear to be forthcoming, though, as Duggan got in between her marker and Todua, only to see her left-foot volley come back off the bar in the first minute of injury time.

But the 21-year-old then gave England a vital shot in the arm, firing into the far corner after fellow substitute Kelly Smith's cross was deflected into her path by a Russian defender's arm.

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