England 1-2 Italy: Three Lions crumble in the jungle

Roy Hodgson vowed he would be prepared to lose in a bid to win in the build-up to this World Cup - and he proved as good as his word.

Selecting an attacking line-up that included Raheem Sterling, alongside Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck, the England boss was clearly intent on making a positive start to the campaign in Manaus.

The truth of the matter, of course, is they ended up on the wrong end of the scoreline, but those fans who braved the heat and humidity of the Amazonian jungle, and the millions who watched and listened back home, will have been encouraged that Hodgson at least has given them a team they can enjoy watching and of whom they can be proud.

Sterling, in particular, looked lively throughout and the Liverpool youngster almost got the game off to the most spectacular of starts - smashing a 25-yard drive into the side netting when it looked for all the world as though it had flown in.

Jordan Henderson then forced a good save from Salvatore Sirigu as the Three Lions continued to press, and they went agonisingly close to taking the lead in the 24th minute.

Welbeck did well to beat his man on the right, before fizzing his cross into the danger zone. But the ball flicked off the toe of Andrea Barzagli, and that intervention lifted the ball just inches over the head of Sturridge.

And that was a moment England would come to regret before too long, as Italy took the lead with a beautifully executed corner kick routine.

Played in from the right, Andrea Pirlo’s dummy momentarily had England rooted to the spot and that was long enough for Claudio Marchisio to take a touch and drill a low shot through the legs of both Rooney and Gary Cahill, and into the corner past a despairing Joe Hart.

That could have been the signal for England to wilt in the jungle conditions, however they provided the perfect riposte by striking back almost immediately.

Rooney, who had been having a difficult time defensively in his role on the left, was freed by Sterling and his inch perfect cross was met at the far post by Sturridge, who made a sweet connection on the half volley to steer the ball home.

There was one further scare for Hodgson’s boys before the break when Phil Jagielka headed off the line to deny Mario Balotelli but, on the balance of play, 1-1 at half-time was probably a fair reflection of the action.

England had looked good going forward, but in danger of being exposed at the back, and the second half followed a similar pattern.

Sturridge and Rooney both went close in the opening skirmishes after the break, but it was the Italians who made what proved to be the decisive breakthrough.

And it was a man the Three Lions’ rearguard know well who inflicted the fatal blow to their hopes of an opening game victory.

Balotelli needs no introduction to an English audience. The maverick striker made almost as many headlines off the pitch as on it during his time at Manchester City but, when he’s firing on all cylinders, there are fewer more dangerous forwards in world football.

And he proved his prowess within five minutes of the re-start, using clever movement in the area to find the space to meet Antonio Candreva’s cross and head home at the far post.

It’s a goal England will have been disappointed with defensively, however, with Leighton Baines being beaten too easily down the flank.

Far from being deflated, however, this youthful looking England side once again showed they have the fortitude to overcome adversity.

Rooney should have scored his first goal at a World Cup finals after being played in by Baines, but dragged his shot wide of the near post and Ross Barkley, a young man many are championing as a potential star of the tournament, marked his introduction as a substitute for Welbeck with a confident run and curling shot that Salvatore Sirigu had to push away.

For all their endeavour, however, the closest England came to forcing an equaliser was from a Baines free-kick that Sirigu clawed away.

And so England’s 2014 World Cup campaign began as it has so often ended in the past - with plucky defeat.

The only consolation on this occasion is they live to fight another day.

And what a day that promises to be in Sao Paolo against a Uruguay side also smarting from first game defeat, to Costa Rica,.

To the victors, the spoils. To the losers, the airport…