England have held Brazil to a 2-2 draw at the Maracana thanks to goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wayne Rooney.

The Three Lions were second best for most of the game, but took the lead with 10 minutes remaining. However, Paulinho struck to rescue a deserved draw for the hosts.

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The first chance of the evening fell to Neymar in the 22nd minute, but Joe Hart produced the first in a string of fine saves to deny the 21-year-old striker.

The Barcelona-bound star then tried his luck from just outside the box, trying to bend the ball into Hart's top corner, but missed the target.

Hart was twice called upon to keep his side level just after the half-hour mark, as Hulk and Felipe Luis both looked certain to score. The Manchester City shot-stopper first closed down Hulk, before getting up to prevent the rebound from finding the net.

England's best chance of the first half fell to Theo Walcott, but the angle was always closing on the Arsenal winger, who could only sting Julio Cesar's palms from the right side of the box.

Brazil had been by far the better team in the first half and continued in that manner after the restart, eventually taking the lead in the 60th minute through Fred.

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The former Lyon star reacted quickest after Hernanes's curling effort came crashing off the crossbar.

The Selecao seemed to take their foot off the pedal after going ahead, which nearly cost them the lead in the 69th minute, but Rooney missed the target with a header from six yards out.

However, Roy Hodgson's men did not have to wait long for their equaliser, as Oxlade-Chamberlain drove a low shot past Cesar two minutes later.

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All of a sudden, it was the Three Lions who were in the ascendancy. A vital block from Thiago Silva denied James Milner after some intricate build-up play, before Rooney put his team in front.

The Manchester United striker galloped forward unchecked before firing beyond Cesar, although it did take a deflection before finding the top corner of the net.

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The ecstasy did not last long, though, as substitute Paulinho swept home magnificently on the volley to the relief of the home crowd just four minutes later.

That is the way it stayed until the final whistle, meaning that Brazil are yet to lose a home match against a European side since England's last visit in 1984.