France begin their Women’s World Cup campaign against Jamaica as the group stages continue in Australia and New Zealand.
The Blues enter the tournament under new coach Hervé Renard after Corrine Deacon’s controversial reign ended just four months before the tournament. The talented French squad will be tested after being hit with injuries ahead of the World Cup, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Delphine Cascarino excluded.
The Netherlands, runners-up four years ago under Sarina Wiegman, previously faced Portugal 1-0 in Group E thanks to Stefanie van der Gragt’s header. The Dutch were beaten by the United States in the 2019 final and will face the defending champions later in the group stage. The United States began their defense with a 3-0 win over Vietnam on Saturday.
Elsewhere, England opened their Women’s World Cup campaign with victory, but the Lionesses were pushed all the way by Haiti in what was a close game in Brisbane. The penalty saved by Georgia Stanway in the first half was enough to give England a narrow victory, but keeper Mary Earps had to make a big save to protect their late lead.
Follow the latest World Cup scores, updates and news in today’s live blog
Women’s World Cup Live: Latest Updates
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The Women’s World Cup continues in Australia and New Zealand
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England survive Women’s World Cup scare – but Haiti highlights problems Lionesses need to address
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France take on debutants Jamaica in Group F
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The Netherlands beat Portugal 1-0 in Group E as Stefanie van der Gragt scores the only home goal
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Sweden beat South Africa 2-1 thanks to Amanda Ilestedt’s 90th-minute winner
2023 Women’s World Cup: France 0-0 Jamaica
11:22 , Luke Baker
20 mins: This is a very good start for Jamaica. They win battles in the middle of the park and are disciplined in their form.
France are forced to scramble the ball in defense as a few shots are blocked. Les Bleues need to move here and start playing the possession-based football they are known for.
2023 Women’s World Cup: France 0-0 Jamaica
11:10 , Luke Baker
Ongoing in Sydney and France unsurprisingly have the best of things so far. They move away from deep and run towards the Jamaican defenders. No early breakthrough yet though.
Women’s World Cup 2023: France vs Jamaica
10:54 , Luke Baker
The last match of the Women’s World Cup matchday will start in about five minutes. France – who were semi-finalists of the Euro last summer – face debutant Jamaica.
There are eight debutants in this tournament and so far Haiti and Portugal have really impressed and caused problems for the ‘bigger’ teams, even though they lacked an advantage in front of goal.
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz lit up the 1998 Men’s World Cup, so can the women’s team do the same and upset Les Bleues?
England underestimated Haiti in the World Cup opener and revealed their Achilles heel
10:35 , Luke Baker
Mary Earps could do nothing but scream in frustration. England’s weakness in defense had thankfully been offset by Haiti’s lack of vanguard, but his irritation was still clear and justified.
Time and time again, the simple things just hadn’t been done right. Balls had been allowed to cruise over heads, lunges were delayed as passes flew over gaps, passes were sent wayward. It was not the start of the World Cup that England would have hoped for.
England were ahead, but that wasn’t the sense you’d get from reading the players’ body language. The half-time whistle sounded in Brisbane and heads bowed as they retreated into the tunnel.
The truth was obvious: they were lucky to be in the lead.
England underestimated Haiti in the World Cup opener and revealed their Achilles heel
Full-time: Netherlands 1-0 Portugal
10:35 , Luke Baker
And it’s all over in Dunedin!
The Netherlands held on for a 1-0 win over debutants Portugal. Stefanie van der Gragt’s header early in the first half proved to be the difference.
Portugal frustrated the Dutch for much of the game but didn’t really threaten to equalise. It will feel like a missed opportunity to them with USA also in their group – you feel they had to get a result here to have a realistic chance of reaching the knockout stages.
The Netherlands will be relieved – three points on the board is the most important thing. A victory over lowly Vietnam will probably be enough to qualify now, even if it’s the United States who will be next on Thursday.
England goalkeeper Mary Earps slams Nike for refusing to sell her shirt
10:15 , Luke Baker
England goalkeeper Mary Earps has said Nike’s decision not to sell her kit during the Women’s World Cup was “hurtful” and “hugely disappointing”.
England home and away kits are available to fans, but the Lionesses goalkeeper kits have not been released for sale by the team’s kit supplier.
Earps was England’s goalkeeper when they won the Euros last summer and the Manchester United star was named Fifa’s Best Women’s Goalkeeper for 2022.
Earps said England captain Millie Bright told him she wanted to buy his kit for her niece, only to find it was unavailable to buy.
England goalkeeper Mary Earps slams Nike for refusing to sell her shirt
Last score: Netherlands 1-0 Portugal
10:06 , Luke Baker
In the last 15 minutes of the clash between the Netherlands and Portugal, the Dutch still maintain their 1-0 lead. It was an impressive first in the World Cup for the Portuguese.
Last score: Netherlands 1-0 Portugal
09:38 , Luke Baker
The Netherlands take on debuting Portugal and this match is only at the start of the second half.
The Netherlands lead 1-0 after Stefanie van der Gragt’s first-half header was finally given after a VAR review. The debuting Portuguese are well equipped and are frustrating the Dutch.
Sweden beat South Africa 2-1 in World Cup opener
09:19 , Luke Baker
Amanda Ilestedt’s 90th-minute winner handed Sweden a 2-1 win over South Africa in their Women’s World Cup Group G match after a chance equalizer from Fridolina Rolfo canceled out Hildah Magaia’s opener.
In the pouring rain in the New Zealand capital, Ilestedt jumped the highest and brought the ball home to save his side from blushing after being frustrated by the African champions for much of the opening hour of the match.
The result left the third-placed Swedes top of their group before Italy and Argentina play their opener in Auckland on Monday.
“South Africa made it difficult for us, but I think we grew in the game and got better and better. In the second half we played better, but a win in the opening game is what matters,” Ilestedt said.
South Africa, ranked 54th, were seeking their first-ever World Cup victory in their second appearance at the tournament, having left the group stage in 2019 without scoring a point.
They held off their fanciest opponents in the first half, as a frustrated Swedish side controlled possession but couldn’t find the finishing touch and threatened on the counter.
Zecira Musovic had parried Thembi Kgatlana’s shot but Magaia grabbed the rebound past Sweden defender Jonna Andersson and sent the ball over the line two minutes after the break, scoring South Africa’s second ever World Cup goal.
But Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s cross skewed defender Lebohang Ramalepe and bounced into Rolfo’s net to give the Swedes a lifeline in the 66th minute.
Peter Gerhardsson’s side pushed for a winner but they were denied by South Africa’s resolute defence, until Ilestedt met Kosovare Asllani’s corner with a powerful header.
Reuters
Vanguard missing for unconvincing England, admits boss Sarina Wiegman
08:59 , Luke Baker
England boss Sarina Wiegman felt her European champions lacked “crudeness” after claiming a 1-0 victory over debutants Haiti to open their World Cup campaign at the Brisbane stadium.
Georgia Stanway’s first-half penalty saved was ultimately enough to earn her side all three points, but did not allay concerns over the Lionesses’ attacking form after they failed to find the back of the net in their previous three encounters.
Had it not been for a late second-half save by FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year Mary Earps to deny substitute Roseline Eloissaint, the fourth-seeded Lionesses might well have ended their night in a draw against their Group D opponents, who sit 49 places below them in the FIFA rankings.
Sarina Wiegman admits unconvincing England lacked forward in World Cup opener
England survive Women’s World Cup scare – but Haiti highlights problems Lionesses need to address
08:58 , Luke Baker
England have a precious first win in this World Cup, but that very description explains why they didn’t look like eventual winners of the tournament itself.
That’s not to say it will stay that way, but Sarina Wiegman has a lot of issues to solve and a lot of work to do. Haiti at least more than set the tone for the latter. In something that has already become a bit of a pattern in those early games, the supposed minnow deserved more than the 1-0 loss he suffered courtesy of Georgia Stanway’s luckily reordered penalty.
Haiti’s bright young star, Melchie Dumornay, may well end up earning a string of individual awards. She was by far the player of the game here, directing the game. Haiti has often turned England around. The whole outcome ended up depending on Mary Earps holding on in a crucial last chance for Haiti.
England survive World Cup scare but Haiti highlights issues to be addressed