London mayor Boris Johnson is also at Wembley.
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English fans are expected to put aside traditional soccer rivalry and sing the French national anthem, the Marseillaise, at the match that is due to begin at 1500 ET.
Many England fans had brought French flags to the stadium.
Armed police were visible at the match, while 5,000 troops were on standby, with the SAS given a shoot to kill order in the event of a terrorist attack.
England boss Roy Hodgson spoke ahead of the match and admitted that this would not be a “normal friendly”.
These two old sporting adversaries set the traditional rivalries aside as Wembley became a symbol of solidarity, never more so than when both sets of fans joined together before kick-off to sing the French national anthem “La Marseillaise”, with the words “Against us tyranny’s bloody banner is raised” carrying particular resonance.
Social media was awash with praise for the dignified way a sensitive occasion was handled.
A minute’s silence will be observed before kick-off, black armbands will be worn by the players and officials and the Wembley arch will be lit up in the red, white and blue colours of the French tricolor.
Fans arriving early for the match said they are hoping for a peaceful event.
After the group killed 129 people in Paris on Friday, tonight’s game was held in an atmosphere of anticipation mixed with tension.
“We see the game as a show of solidarity and we see it also as a show of defiance”. There was no sense of panic among supporters, who appeared intent on sending a defiant message of unity after the bombings in the French capital.
“But we weren’t cut off from the world at all”. The paper pictures the players paying tribute to Paris attack victims with a minute’s silence. The teams spent the night in the stadium as carnage struck elsewhere.
The French squad was personally affected by the attacks as midfielder Lassana Diarra lost a relative and forward Antoine Griezmann’s sister was at the Bataclan theater where one of the attacks was carried out.
That game was played to its conclusion, despite explosions, coming from outside the stadium, being clearly heard during the second half.
“The president (Hollande) confirmed that we had to play this game, and I think like all of my teammates we respect this decision, and it will be a good opportunity to represent the French nation”, he said the day before the match.
47′ – GOAL – Wayne Rooney volleys England into a 2-0 lead, getting on the end of a dinked Sterling cross and hammering his shot beyond Lloris.
“Sport comes second tonight”, Correia said.
Fans from both countries shared warm embraces outside the stadium. Both players, and the team as a whole, will surely be playing this match with a heavy heart as the tragedies have hit so close to home.
“I cried like for two days and I was desperate”.
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The Paris police department said officers exchanged gunfire with the suspects in Saint Denis and several police were injured. “You have to live like you live normally, go to the game, drink beer in the bar”.
