England vs Haiti LIVE: Women’s World Cup result and reaction as Mary Earps saves Lionesses

England opened their Women’s World Cup campaign with a win but the Lionesses were pushed all the way by Haiti in what was a close contest in Brisbane.

Georgia Stanway’s retaken penalty in the first half was enough to earn England a narrow victory, but goalkeeper Mary Earps had to make a big stop to protect their lead late on.

Sarina Wiegman’s side lacked fluency at times but Haiti provided the Lionesses with a stern test, particularly their 19-year-old star Melchie Dumornay.

Stanway’s first penalty attempt was saved by Haiti goalkeeper Kerly Theus, but VAR ruled she had encroached, with the midfielder making no mistake on the second time around.

Haiti’s best chance came as substitute Roseline Eloissaint was released down the left, but Earps managed to make a vital save with her left leg to ensure England won all three points.

The result gives England a winning start to Group D, with Denmark joining them on three points after scoring an 89th-minute winner against China. The Lionesses will play Denmark in their second match on Friday.

Follow live updates as England take on Haiti at the Women’s World Cup.

Women’s World Cup LIVE: England vs Haiti latest updates

• England survive Women’s World Cup scare — but Haiti highlight problems for Lionesses to solve

• FT! England open Women’s World Cup campaign with narrow win over Haiti

• SAVE! Mary Earps makes huge stop to deny Haiti equaliser (ENG 1-0 HAI)

• GOAL! Stanway sends England ahead from the penalty spot (ENG 1-0 HAI)

• USA open World Cup defence with 3-0 win over Vietnam as Sophia Smith scores twice

• Japan thrash Zambia 5-0 in Group C; Denmark earn late winner against China in Group D

Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match

17:30 , Mike Jones

England begin their Women’s World Cup campaign against Haiti as the Lionesses look to follow up last summer’s Euros triumph with another major tournament victory.

Sarina Wiegman’s side come into the World Cup as one of the favourites, despite losing stars Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby to injury, and are expected to get off to a winning start in Group D against debutants Haiti.

With Williamson out, her centre-back partner Millie Bright will captain the side in Australia and the Lionesses have been boosted by the news that their stand-in skipper is fit to start. Haiti, who are ranked 53rd in the world, are joined by China and Denmark in Group D.

Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today

England women World Cup fixtures and route to the final

17:15 , Mike Jones

England enter the World Cup as one of the favourites as the Lionesses look to build on their victory at the European Championships last summer by winning the game’s biggest prize.

England have reached the semi-finals on their last two World Cup appearances in 2015 and 2019 and will be dreaming of going one step further in Australia and New Zealand.

The Lionesses gained valuable experience of winning a major title after their historic victory on home soil at the Euros under Sarina Wiegman.

England women World Cup fixtures and route to the final

FIFA Women’s World Cup fixtures and full schedule

17:00 , Mike Jones

After winning the European Championships on home soil last summer, England travel to Australia and New Zealand as one of the favourites to win the Women’s World Cup.

The Lionesses defeated Germany at a sold-out Wembley last year and have positioned themselves as one of the strongest teams in the world under Sarina Wiegman.

The United States have won the past two World Cups and are the defending champions after beating the Netherlands - who were coached by Wiegman - at the 2019 World Cup in France. The Lionesses reached the semi-finals for the second World Cup in a row, only to lose to the USA, but will be looking to go a step further this time.

FIFA Women’s World Cup fixtures and full schedule

Georgia Stanway: England’s Bundesliga superstar in profile

16:50 , Mike Jones

Georgia Stanway was one of England’s brightest stars at Euro 2022, her finest moment coming in the quarter-final against Spain when she blasted a long-range drive into the top corner early in extra-time to win the game and send the Lionesses roaring into the semis.

Like international teammates Keira Walsh and Ella Toone, the girl from Barrow-in-Furness, now 24, progressed through the Blackburn Rovers youth set up before ending up at Manchester City, for whom she played 109 times between 2015 and 2022, scoring 39 goals and winning the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year award for the 2018/19 season.

Like Walsh and Lucy Bronze, she has since left the Barclay’s Women’s Super League to test herself at one of the European superclubs – in their case Barcelona, in her’s Bayern Munich.

Georgia Stanway: England’s Bundesliga superstar in profile

England survive Women’s World Cup scare — but Haiti highlight problems for Lionesses to solve

16:40 , Mike Jones

England have a precious first win in this World Cup but that very description is why they did not look like eventual winners of the tournament itself.

That isn’t to say it will remain like this, but Sarina Wiegman has a lot of problems 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 developed into a bit of a pattern in these first few games, the supposed minnow deserved more than the 1-0 defeat they suffered through Georgia Stanway’s mercifully re-ordered penalty.

Haiti’s brilliant young star, Melchie Dumornay, may well end up deserving a series of individual awards. She was by far the player of the match here, running the game. Haiti often gave England a run-around. The entire result ended up depending on Mary Earps standing her ground in a crucial final chance for Haiti.

England survive World Cup scare — but Haiti highlight problems to solve

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

16:30 , Mike Jones

Here are the thoughts of England manager Sarina Wiegman.

“It was a very hard game, I’m very happy with the three points.” She said, “They were very unpredictable, very transitional. That’s what they showed and we struggled with that. We did create chances but we lost the ball and then they were gone. That was hard for us.

“We want to finish our chances. We did it with the penalty which was good because the win is the most important thing.

“We were very close, we were sometimes too close to the goalkeeper, who was courageous. Sometimes we had the last pass instead of shooting ourselves. I hope the next game in open play we can score a goal.

“In the first half, Georgia [Stanway] was struggling, she needed to pass it quicker. She picked up later so that was good for the team. Mary [Earps], not having to do a lot then having a lot at once.

“[We’ll] recover and then go for the next game [against Denmark].”

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

16:20 , Mike Jones

Post-match thoughts from Sarina Wiegman:

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

16:10 , Mike Jones

After a testing opener in Brisbane the Lionesses kick off their World Cup campaign with three points over Haiti. It was far from a convincing performance though and they’ll need to sharpen up ahead of their next fixture.

Mary Earps is an England superstar – even if fans can’t buy her shirt

16:00 , Mike Jones

Apparently goalkeepers aren’t important, but how England needed theirs here. It was hardly the most encouraging sign for the Lionesses as they began their Women’s World Cup with a nervy, narrow victory over Haiti, but with questions remaining over several key positions there is certainly no doubt over the quality and value of England’s No 1.

Georgia Stanway may have scored the only goal in this unconvincing opening win, but Mary Earps was England’s match-winner. The Manchester United goalkeeper’s left foot denied Haiti’s Roseline Eloissaint, in what was one of several dangerous moments the Lionesses had to survive to get their World Cup off to a winning start.

It’s what makes a top goalkeeper - the ability to suddenly spring into life when called upon. England had 11 shots on target to Haiti’s two, but those statistics are misleading and the side ranked 53rd in the world carried just as much threat as the European champions throughout the match. An equaliser would have been deserved, had Earps not intervened.

Mary Earps is an England superstar – even if fans can’t buy her shirt

Cutting edge missing for unconvincing England, admits boss Sarina Wiegman

15:50 , Mike Jones

England boss Sarina Wiegman felt her European champions lacked “ruthlessness” after they eked out a 1-0 victory over debutants Haiti to open their World Cup campaign at Brisbane Stadium.

Georgia Stanway’s retaken first-half penalty was ultimately enough to win her side all three points, but did little to ease concerns about the Lionesses’ attacking form after they failed to find the back of the net in their previous three encounters.

Were it not for a late second-half save from FIFA women’s goalkeeper of the year Mary Earps to deny substitute Roseline Eloissaint, the fourth-ranked Lionesses could well have ended their evening with a draw against their underdog Group D opponents, who sit 49 places below them in the FIFA rankings.

Cutting edge missing for unconvincing England, admits boss Sarina Wiegman

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

15:40 , Mike Jones

Action shots from England’s World Cup opener versus Haiti.

England underestimated Haiti in World Cup opener and revealed their Achilles heel

15:32 , Mike Jones

Mary Earps could do nothing but scream in frustration. The shakiness of England’s defence had thankfully been compensated for by Haiti’s lack of a cutting edge but her irritation was still clear, and warranted.

Time and time again the simple things just hadn’t been done right. Balls had been allowed to sail over heads, lunges were delayed as passes skimmed through gaps, passes were sent wayward. It wasn’t the start to the World Cup that England would have hoped for.

England were ahead but that wasn’t the sense you would get from reading the players’ body language. The half-time whistle blew in Brisbane and heads hung low as they retreated down the tunnel.

The truth was evident: they were lucky to be leading.

England underestimated Haiti in World Cup opener and revealed their Achilles heel

England’s Lionesses have vital role in fight for women’s rights, high commissioner says

15:24 , Mike Jones

British High Commissioner to Australia Vicki Treadell believes England’s Lionesses have a vital role to play in the diplomatic mission of fighting for the rights of women and girls around the world.

England players on Tuesday released a collective statement, posted on Twitter by captain Millie Bright, outlining their “disappointment” in not reaching an agreement with the Football Association over performance bonus payments and commercial structures ahead of their World Cup opener against Haiti in Brisbane.

That fight, they said, was driven not solely by personal gain but by “a strong sense of responsibility to grow the game” globally – a sentiment reiterated by numerous players over the last few days in the Queensland capital.

Watch Georgia Stanway’s winning goal

15:17 , Mike Jones

Here’s Georgia Stanway’s winning goal for England, she needed two attempts at it but managed to slot home her penalty to give the Lionesses an opening victory over Haiti in Brisbane.

Georgia Stanway talks through England’s opening win

15:10 , Mike Jones

Post-match reaction from Georgia Stanway who told ITV: “They challenged us. They were very dangerous on the counter attack, that is something we will work on now in training. Mary came up with a big save and everyone played their part.

“She’s[Mary Earps] very good, a top keeper. Those are the moments that makes them become a top keeper. The most important thing is the three points, it’s a good start.

“I was just focused on the ball [for the penalty retake], focused on the situation and blocked out everything. The first one was a very good save, so credit for the save but she was off her line. There’s a process I go through an I just stuck to that.

“You have a really long build-up. We’ve been building up for five or six weeks, we’ve been here in Australia for two weeks already. A first game settles the nerves, we can build momentum and it’s good to get that World Cup feel.

“[On facing Denmark] It’s another challenge but we should just focus on ourselves.”

England mascot Dave the cat supporting Lionesses from his new home

15:03 , Mike Jones

England’s unlikely World Cup mascot will be watching the Lionesses from his forever home as Dave the cat settles into his new surroundings.

While football might not have come home from Qatar, stray cat Dave did after the friendly feline became a firm favourite of the squad as he roamed freely around England’s Al Wakrah training base.

Manchester City duo John Stones and Kyle Walker were pictured with Dave on most evenings and the latter said the team would adopt the cat if Gareth Southgate’s men won the World Cup.

Despite their quarter-final exit at the hands of France, Dave was still given the chance to travel to the UK and was eventually rehomed by the Football Association’s media operations manager Anna Bush and her family.

England mascot Dave the cat supporting Lionesses from his new home

Mary Earps: The England goalkeeper and world’s best in profile

14:55 , Mike Jones

Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps, affectionately known as “Mearps”, may now be firmly ensconced as England’s number one after her heroic displays at the Euros – and impassioned leadership of the table-dancing celebrations that followed – but her chances of even being part of the squad once looked remote.

Prior to the arrival of Sarina Wiegman as England manager in September 2021, Earps believed her form was so poor she might never return to the national team, having made her debut against Switzerland in 2017 but received only a handful of caps thereafter before falling out of favour.

While Earps went on to win the Fifa ‘Best’ award following the Euros, it was not long after she had considered quitting the game altogether.

Mary Earps: The England goalkeeper and world’s best in profile

Why this Women’s World Cup will be unlike anything we’ve seen before

14:47 , Mike Jones

As the squads have been adjusting to Australia and New Zealand over the last few weeks, many coaches and staff members have been doing what the rest of the public does, bouncing around news stories about the different teams to see how they are doing. It is the point at which an international tournament takes on that enticingly self-contained quality. All eyes still go to the USA, especially with this being Megan Rapinoe’s last World Cup, and the squad looking to see her off with a historic third successive victory.

As the defending champions themselves look around the field, though, they aren’t seeing what they used to. There is the usual confidence, of course, but also some caution. The gap between them and the rest of the teams isn’t as big. Rapinoe’s retirement may well close out a wider era, since the dominant factor in women’s football over the last decade has been how the USA have enjoyed much longer-term development than the rest of the game. That has been seen as especially influential as regards physical conditioning, but the general feeling is that the European game and Australia have caught up.

England would certainly have no fears there, especially given how they beat the USA in that signpost match back in October.

Why this Women’s World Cup will be unlike anything we’ve seen before

England’s World Cup hinges on a defining question

14:38 , Mike Jones

Since arriving in Australia, Sarina Wiegman has stepped up work on a new system, that may not even be unveiled until the knock-out stages. It is an inherent acknowledgement that England are no longer in the strong position they were, but simultaneously something that may yet prove the winning of this World Cup.

This has been reflected in the mood of the camp in Australia, beyond the distraction over bonuses. There is certainly no lack of faith, especially in Wiegman’s ability to come up with something special. This is another benefit of a feat like the Euro 2022 victory. It banishes doubts, and fosters that immensely powerful feeling that everything will go well because the manager knows exactly what they are doing. It is why big games, as in that juncture quarter-final win over Spain, can almost seem like they will go exactly as Wiegman predicts.

There’s also the fact that, right now, the manager has one of the most talented teams in the world. For so long, this has seemed like the moment England were long building up to.

The question now is whether that moment just comes at the wrong time.

England’s World Cup hinges on a defining question

Rachel Daly: England’s Golden Boot winning striker in profile

14:29 , Mike Jones

Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly is one of the most versatile members of Sarina Wiegman’s England squad – and one of its great characters – and comes into the World Cup in the form of her life, having scored 30 goals in 30 games for her club this season in all competitions to take home the Women’s Super League’s Golden Boot.

The Harrogate native, 31, started with Killinghall Nomads where she was scouted by Leeds United before making her first league appearances for Lincoln City Ladies, scoring four times across 24 games in 2011 and 2012.

But she first really made a name for herself in New York playing for St John’s University Red Storm in Queens, setting the college’s record goals tally of 50 despite playing in just two years out of the three she was enrolled at the institution between 2013 and 2015.

Rachel Daly: England’s versatile goalscorer in profile

Sarina Wiegman insists England will give ‘everything’ to lift Women’s World Cup

14:20 , Mike Jones

England boss Sarina Wiegman vowed the Lionesses would do “everything” they can to bring home a first World Cup when they begin their campaign against Haiti in Brisbane on Saturday.

Wiegman also provided a welcome update on captain Millie Bright, who is fit to start tomorrow’s contest after concerns she was still recovering from the knee injury she sustained in March which required surgery.

The World Cup trophy is one that has so far eluded both England and Wiegman, who led the Netherlands to the final four years ago in France but fell to defeat at the hands of the United States.

Sarina Wiegman insists England will give ‘everything’ to lift Women’s World Cup

Georgia Stanway: England’s Bundesliga superstar in profile

14:12 , Mike Jones

Georgia Stanway was one of England’s brightest stars at Euro 2022, her finest moment coming in the quarter-final against Spain when she blasted a long-range drive into the top corner early in extra-time to win the game and send the Lionesses roaring into the semis.

Like international teammates Keira Walsh and Ella Toone, the girl from Barrow-in-Furness, now 24, progressed through the Blackburn Rovers youth set up before ending up at Manchester City, for whom she played 109 times between 2015 and 2022, scoring 39 goals and winning the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year award for the 2018/19 season.

Like Walsh and Lucy Bronze, she has since left the Barclay’s Women’s Super League to test herself at one of the European superclubs – in their case Barcelona, in her’s Bayern Munich.

Georgia Stanway: England’s Bundesliga superstar in profile

Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match

14:06 , Mike Jones

England began their Women’s World Cup campaign against Haiti as the Lionesses look to follow up last summer’s Euros triumph with another major tournament victory.

Sarina Wiegman’s side come into the World Cup as one of the favourites, despite losing stars Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby to injury, and got off to a winning start in Group D against debutants Haiti.

With Williamson out, her centre-back partner Millie Bright captains the side in Australia and the Lionesses have been boosted by the news that their stand-in skipper is fit to start. Haiti, who are ranked 53rd in the world, are joined by China and Denmark in Group D.

Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today

Women’s World Cup 2023: Denmark 0-0 China

14:00 , Mike Jones

In today’s other Group D encounter, Denmark and China have reached half-time with the score all square at nil-nil.

England goalkeeper Mary Earps hits out at Nike for refusing to sell her shirt

13:58 , Mike Jones

England goalkeeper Mary Earps says Nike’s decision to not sell her kit during the Women’s World Cup is “hurtful” and “hugely disappointing”.

England’s home and away kits are available for fans to buy, but the Lionesses goalkeeper kits have not been put up 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.

England goalkeeper Mary Earps hits out at Nike for refusing to sell her shirt

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

13:52 , Mike Jones

Is England’s lack of goals a worrying sign?

England off to a winning start

13:46 , Mike Jones

The Lionesses wanted to get three points against Haiti and they did just that. There’s things for them to work on and a positive showing against Denmark should give them enough points to make it out of the group stages.

Alessia Russo: England and Arsenal star’s football family and career to date

13:40 , Mike Jones

With the retirement of England’s record goalscorer Ellen White in the wake of last summer’s Euros triumph, much of the responsibility for providing the side’s attacking threat could now fall upon the shoulders of Alessia Russo.

Russo, 24, who has just moved from Manchester United to Arsenal on a free transfer, grew in influence as that tournament progressed, regularly emerging from the bench to replace White and scoring twice in a 5-0 thrashing of Northern Ireland, as well as netting arguably the goal of the tournament in the semi-final: an utterly outrageous backheel to embarrass Sweden.

Born and raised in Maidstone, Kent, Russo is of Sicillian heritage and took to football from an early age, both her father Mario and older brother Giorgio having played at non-league level.

Alessia Russo: England’s attacking talent in profile

England’s Lionesses have vital role in fight for women’s rights, high commissioner says

13:34 , Mike Jones

British High Commissioner to Australia Vicki Treadell believes England’s Lionesses have a vital role to play in the diplomatic mission of fighting for the rights of women and girls around the world.

England players on Tuesday released a collective statement, posted on Twitter by captain Millie Bright, outlining their “disappointment” in not reaching an agreement with the Football Association over performance bonus payments and commercial structures ahead of their World Cup opener against Haiti in Brisbane.

That fight, they said, was driven not solely by personal gain but by “a strong sense of responsibility to grow the game” globally – a sentiment reiterated by numerous players over the last few days in the Queensland capital.

Lucy Bronze: England and Barcelona’s legendary right-back in profile

13:28 , Mike Jones

Already one of the true legends of the women’s game, Lucy Bronze has been a regular for England since making her debut in 2013 and has played all across the park, although she is best known as a marauding right-back, overlapping Beth Mead in the Euros to often devastating effect.

Born into a bilingual Portuguese-English family in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Bronze, now 31, played for Alnwick Town until she turned 12, when FA regulations prevented her from continuing to play for the boys’ team, a matter about which her coach felt so strongly he launched an unsuccessful discrimination case to challenge the rules, reluctant to lose his best player to an outmoded technicality.

A multi-talented athlete in secondary school, she played at youth level for Blyth Town and Sunderland, graduating to the latter’s senior squad and winning the FA Women’s Premier League Northern Division in 2008/09 before relocating to the US to enrol at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to play for the Tar Heels, a path future Lionesses Alessia Russo and Lotte Wubben-Moy would later follow.

Lucy Bronze: England’s legendary right-back in profile

England labour to opening win over Haiti thanks to Georgia Stanway penalty

13:22 , Mike Jones

Georgia Stanway’s retaken first-half penalty was enough to earn England a nervy 1-0 victory over World Cup debutants Haiti in their Group D opener at Brisbane Stadium.

This was not the decisive victory most had predicted for the European champions and world’s number-four side against a team 49 places below them in the FIFA rankings.

Haiti came close to levelling more than once, including a late second-half chance denied at the last by Mary Earps’ outstretched foot.

England labour to opening win over Haiti thanks to Georgia Stanway penalty

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

13:18 , Mike Jones

An interesting trend has been developing through the group stages of the World Cup so far.

There has been a penalty in all eight games at the Women’s World Cup 2023 but only four of those have been converted. All eight games so far have also seen at least one side keep a clean sheet.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

13:15 , Mike Jones

Post-match thoughts from Sarina Wiegman:

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

13:11 , Mike Jones

England had 75% possession, 21 shots and 11 on target during that match and in theory should have dominated to an easy victory.

Compare that to Haiti’s seven shots (two on target) and it reads as England missing vital chances. That’s not exactly the case and Haiti should have scored at least one and will feel they could have got something from the game.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

13:07 , Mike Jones

Here are the thoughts of England manager Sarina Wiegman.

“It was a very hard game, I’m very happy with the three points.” She said, “They were very unpredictable, very transitional. That’s what they showed and we struggled with that. We did create chances but we lost the ball and then they were gone. That was hard for us.

“We want to finish our chances. We did it with the penalty which was good because the win is the most important thing.

“We were very close, we were sometimes too close to the goalkeeper, who was courageous. Sometimes we had the last pass instead of shooting ourselves. I hope the next game in open play we can score a goal.

“In the first half, Georgia [Stanway] was struggling, she needed to pass it quicker. She picked up later so that was good for the team. Mary [Earps], not having to do a lot then having a lot at once.

“[We’ll] recover and then go for the next game [against Denmark].”

England survive Women’s World Cup scare — but Haiti highlight problems for Lionesses to solve

12:57 , Mike Jones

England have a precious first win in this World Cup but that very description is why they did not look like eventual winners of the tournament itself.

That isn’t to say it will remain like this, but Sarina Wiegman has a lot of problems 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 developed into a bit of a pattern in these first few games, the supposed minnow deserved more than the 1-0 defeat they suffered through Georgia Stanway’s mercifully re-ordered penalty.

Haiti’s brilliant young star, Melchie Dumornay, may well end up deserving a series of individual awards. She was by far the player of the match here, running the game. Haiti often gave England a run-around. The entire result ended up depending on Mary Earps standing her ground in a crucial final chance for Haiti.

England survive World Cup scare — but Haiti highlight problems to solve

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:54 , Mike Jones

Post-match reaction from Georgia Stanway who told ITV: “They challenged us. They were very dangerous on the counter attack, that is something we will work on now in training. Mary came up with a big save and everyone played their part.

“She’s[Mary Earps] very good, a top keeper. Those are the moments that makes them become a top keeper. The most important thing is the three points, it’s a good start.

“I was just focused on the ball [for the penalty retake], focused on the situation and blocked out everything. The first one was a very good save, so credit for the save but she was off her line. There’s a process I go through an I just stuck to that.

“You have a really long build-up. We’ve been building up for five or six weeks, we’ve been here in Australia for two weeks already. A first game settles the nerves, we can build momentum and it’s good to get that World Cup feel.

“[On facing Denmark] It’s another challenge but we should just focus on ourselves.”

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:49 , Mike Jones

Here’s Georgia Stanway talking about that penalty and how crucial Mary Earps is to this England side:

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:47 , Mike Jones

England have scored in each of their last 14 games in the Women’s World Cup, scoring 24 goals in that run.

They also had 11 shots on target against Haiti, their most on record (since 2011) in a single match at the Women’s World Cup.

Alessia Russo had five of these, the most by a Lioness in the same timeframe.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:44 , Mike Jones

Here’s Georgia Stanway’s winning goal for England. She needed two attempts at it but managed to slot home her penalty.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:41 , Mike Jones

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:38 , Mike Jones

England boss Sarina Wiegman has gathered her players and coaching staff into a circle on the pitch for a chat. She can’t be overly pleased with that performance but will be over the moon that her team got the win.

A reminder that the Lionesses looked awful in their opening match of the Euros too but they went on to win that tournament.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:35 , Mike Jones

After a testing opener in Brisbane the Lionesses kick off their World Cup campaign with three points over Haiti. It was far from a convincing performance though and they’ll need to sharpen up ahead of their next fixture.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:30 , Mike Jones

Full-time!

90+4 mins: England hold on. They’ve edge past a Haiti team who put up more of a fight than anyone was expecting. A penalty - awarded for handball and retaken after goalkeeper encroachment - is the only difference between these two sides.

England wasted chances yes, but Haiti created the better ones. Mary Earps twice had to pull out incredible saves to keep her team in front - giving Nike a reminder why they should be selling her goalkeeping shirt alongside those of the outfielders.

Sarina Wiegman will be sighing with relief though. Her team has loads of work to do yet, Millie Bright is undercooked and the back four hasn’t yet gelled.

Haiti provided enough signs to show they may be dark houses to get out of Group D but it’s England who move to the top of the table after this opening clash.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:26 , Mike Jones

90 mins: Four minutes of stoppage time to play in Brisbane. Can England cling on and get this win or will Haiti spring a last ditch surprise?

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:24 , Mike Jones

88 mins: Chloe Kelly lays the ball off to Lucy Bronze who whips it quickly into the box. Georgia Stanway brings it down and pokes it across to Ella Toone on the edge of the box.

Toone can’t get an opening so gives it back to Stanway who shoots and hooks her effort well wide of the far post. That wasn’t a good attempt.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:21 , Mike Jones

85 mins: England were 1/80 on to win this game. They may yet go on to do so but the contest has been blistering, Haiti have been fantastic and have given the Lionesses a real battle.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:18 , Mike Jones

82 mins: Save! Mondesir gets in behind England’s defence once again and takes possession of the ball. She spins and lays the ball off to substitute Roseline Eloissaint.

Eloissant’s first touch takes her past the central defenders before she guides a shot towards the far bottom corner. Mary Earps shuffles out and sticks out her left leg. She gets a big chunk of the ball and deflects it away!

That’s a monumetal save from England’s goalkeeper.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:15 , Mike Jones

79 mins: Almost! Lucy Bronze pings a cross in from the right wing and perfectly finds Rachel Daly. Daly leaps and hangs in the air but she can’t turn the ball towards goal as Kerly Theus comes out to challenge her.

If she gets a bit more of that one, it’s a certain goal. These are nervous times for England and the match heads to its conclusion.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:12 , Mike Jones

76 mins: Rachel Daly comes on for England to replace Alessia Russo. She scored 30 goals in 30 appearances for Aston Villa in the WSL last season and is a fine replacement up top when the Lionesses need a goal.

Lauren James hangs a cross into the box from the left but it’s too close to the goalkeeper again allowing Kerly Theus to snatch it up.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:09 , Mike Jones

73 mins: Toone and James link up on the left side for England with James moving inside and looking for runners into the middle of the area.

She curls in a pass but it’s too far away from Russo and Theus comes off her line to scoop up the ball.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:05 , Mike Jones

70 mins: Shot! Lauren James switches the play with a fine ball out to Chloe Kelly on the right. Kelly tries to release the ball to Lucy Bronze on the overlap but hits the defender.

She takes the ball back, cuts onto her left foot and drives a shot towards the far post but knocks it wide of the target. Encouraging signs for England though.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

12:02 , Mike Jones

67 mins: Millie Bright has a chance to get England further ahead as the ball bounces to her from a corner. He snatches at her shot and lifts it well over the crossbar.

England may yet come to rue these missed chances.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:59 , Mike Jones

64 mins: A wonderful move from Haiti cuts England apart but the curling pass to Mondesir arrives behind the Haiti captain and the Lionesses scramble in time to defend.

Save! At the other end of the pitch a cross comes into Russo who nods one at goal and forces Theus to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:58 , Mike Jones

61 mins: Sarina Wiegman makes a change for England and brings on Lauren James to replace Lauren Hemp who’s just collected a yellow card.

Can James help England get some control on this game?

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:54 , Mike Jones

58 mins: Chance! England flick the ball into the box and pick out Alessia Russo. She takes the ball down on her chest, swivels and shoots but sees her effort deflected wide of the target.

The resultant corner is whipped into the near post, Tabita Joseph takes the ball under control then boots it clear.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:52 , Mike Jones

55 mins: The physicality of Haiti is causing England some issues. They’re closing the ball down quickly, winning challenges in midfield and always searching to get forward.

Anothe loose pass from Bright gives the ball to Mondesir who has a go from range and smokes it well over the crossbar. The Haiti captain looks to have aggrevated her ankle with that shot and needs help to leave the pitch.

Haiti are playing with 10 for now.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:49 , Mike Jones

52 mins: Nerilla Mondesir seems to be in pain. She stayed down after a tackle before getting to her feet and hobbling away. The Haiti captain will play on though and they’ll need her in order to turn over this deficit.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:45 , Mike Jones

49 mins: Save! Haiti get the ball over to the left side of the pitch where Melchie Dumornay drives forward. She cuts inside of Mille Bright, rolls the ball onto her right foot and drills one at goal only for Mary Earps to come to England’s rescue.

Earps palms the ball into the air allowing England to scoop it clear.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:42 , Mike Jones

45 mins: Early chance for England. Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp have switched sides. Ella Toone gets on the ball and takes it up to the edge of the box before slipping in Kelly.

Kelly’s footwork gets her past a couple of defender but her square pass is deflected and Kerly Theus leaps onto the ball to smother it.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:41 , Mike Jones

Second half: Haiti get the match back underway. No changes from either team as of yet.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:39 , Mike Jones

Melchie Dumornay has created three chances in this game, more than any other player on either team. She’s been the bright spark for Haiti and is only 19-years-old.

Will she drag her team back into this contest?

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:31 , Mike Jones

Half-time: Georgia Stanway’s retaken penalty hase given England a slender lead in their World Cup opener against Haiti but the Lionesses have been far from their best.

A positive performance in the second half will bring them confidence and there are options off the bench to get them further ahead.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:26 , Mike Jones

Half-time!

45+9 mins: Georgia Stanway collects a yellow card right at the end of the first half as England continue to look a bit frazzled. Sarina Wiegman has a big team talk coming up, she needs to get a grip on her team to cut down the mistakes.

As it stands though, the Lionesses have the lead and that’s all that matters in this opening game.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:22 , Mike Jones

45+6 mins: England think there’s a foul off the ball as Alex Greenwood is taken out when Haiti break down the right. Dumornay carries the ball into the box and lifts it over to Borgella who nods a effort over the crossbar.

The Lionesses need to sharpen up. They’ve been solid going forward but defensively look all over the place.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:19 , Mike Jones

45+3 mins: Dumornay and Borgella are combining nicely for Haiti who continue to challenge England’s shaky backline. Borgella thinks she’s won a corner but the assistant referee awards a goal kick.

Haiti are the ones finishing this half stronger.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:17 , Mike Jones

45 mins: There’s going to be nine minutes of stoppage time added on at the end of the first half which has seen a few VAR incidents and a retaken penalty already.

Plenty of time for more goals.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:16 , Mike Jones

45 mins: Chance! Haiti should be level.

The work a corner short and gives the ball to Dumornay who weaves into space and lifts a good cross into the six-yard box. Roselord Borgella is free and leaps to meet the ball.

It she gets there she scores but the ball flies over her head and England clear it.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:15 , Mike Jones

42 mins: Close! Alessia Russo receives the ball on the edge of the box and sends it over to the left wing where Alex Greenwood is bombing forward.

Greenwood whips the ball into the box and delivers it back to Russo but the forward glances her header wide of the back post!

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:12 , Mike Jones

39 mins: Chance! That was the moment for England. Georgia Stanway drifts into the right side channel and receives the ball. She lifts it into the box with a lovely pass from the outside of her foot.

Alessia Russo jumps for the ball but misses it. It drops over her head just as Lauren Hemp arrives. Hemp pokes the ball at goal but Kerly Theus drops low to her left to cling onto the ball.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:09 , Mike Jones

35 mins: Close! Haiti recover the ball and burst quickly on the counter. Dumornay slides the ball over to the right for Mondesir who lifts a great cross back into the middle.

Dumornay follows it into the box and looks for the volley only for Millie Bright to get a crucial touch on the ball and knock it clear of the forward.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 1-0 Haiti

11:03 , Mike Jones

32 mins: England were fortunate with the penalty but they’ve got themselves off the mark in the World Cup. A second goal will put them well in control but they need a bit more quality in the final third.

Haiti have shown enough fight that potentially get themselves back in this match.

Women’s World Cup 2023: GOAL! England 1-0 Haiti (Stanway, 29’)⚽️

11:01 , Mike Jones

29 mins: Missed! Georgia Stanway steps up for England. She boots the ball to the goalkeeper’s right but Kerly Theus dives the correct way and palms the ball wide of the post!

Wait, Theus came off her line too early, she’s punished for encroachment and the penalty is retaken.

Stanway steps up again, goes to the same wide and rolls this one into the bottom corner as the goalkeeper stands rooted to the spot.

England have the lead!

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:59 , Mike Jones

27 mins: Penalty to England!

It was clear from the replays that Kethna Louis got her fingers on the ball, the referee looks at the pitchside monitor and points to the spot announcing that England have a penalty.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:58 , Mike Jones

25 mins: England win a corner that Chloe Kelly whips over to the back post. Lucy Bronze leaps to win the header but Kethna Louis gets there ahead of her.

The ball drops and hits Bronze before bouncing out of play.

There’s a VAR check going on though, Louis looks liked she flicked the ball with her hand. This is going to be a penalty.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:53 , Mike Jones

22 mins: Millie Bright makes a no nonsense clearance as she tries to get up to speed with this game. The ball goes to Lauren Hemp who spins and storms down the left wing.

She looks to set Alessia Russo free but Tabita Joseph is quickly across to get to the loose ball first and she belts it out of play.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:51 , Mike Jones

19 mins: No penalty! Dayana Pierre-Louis clearly fouled Chloe Kelly with a tackle that scrapes down her shin before leaning a shoulder into her chin.

Unfortunately for England, Alessia Russo made a foul on Tabita Joseph in the phase just before Pierre-Louis’ foul so England don’t get the decision.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:48 , Michael Jones

17 mins: Oh now then. There’s a VAR check going on here for a possible England penalty. Dayana Pierre-Louis may have forcefully challenged Chloe Kelly and caught her on the chin.

Kelly went down inside the box and the referee has been called over to the pitchside monitor.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:46 , Mike Jones

14 mins: Chance! Mille Bright and Lucy Bronze go after the same ball to clear leaving space in behind for Roselord Borgella.

The Haitian forward takes the ball, nips into the box and slots a right-footed effort wide of the far post as Mary Earps came out to close her down.

Huge moment missed for Haiti but England need to sharpen up in defence.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:44 , Mike Jones

12 mins: Chloe Kelly lifts a curling ball into the box from the right side and find Lauren Hemp on the opposite side of the box. She crosses again with her first touch and Alessia Russo wins the header to knock the ball down for Georgia Stanway.

The bounce is awkward and Stanway boots her effort over the top!

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:42 , Mike Jones

9 mins: England have started this match well. They’re passing it quickly and looking to get forward but equally Haiti have been unafraid to take the game to them.

They’re defending physically and are heads down, sprint forward when they get possession.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:37 , Mike Jones

6 mins: Chance! The speed with which England get the ball forward is frightening for Haiti. Chloe Kelly makes a good run off the ball on the right side and is almost found with a diagonal pass.

The pass is intercepted but the ball comes loose and drops perfectly for Alessia Russo. She shoots from just inside the box but blazes her effort straight at Kerly Theus who keeps it out.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:35 , Mike Jones

4 mins: A quick counter-attack sends England flying up the pitch, they earn themselves a corner that Chloe Kelly whips over to the back post.

Lucy Bronze rises high but can’t control her header and it bobbles wide of the nearest post. This is better from England.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:33 , Mike Jones

2 mins: A loose pass from Millie Bright gives the ball away to Haiti’s captain Nerilla Mondesir. Haiti burst up the pitch as the ball comes across to Melchie Daelle Dumornay.

Dumornay is forced out to the right side of the box but Haiti win an early corner. Not the start England would have been hoping for.

The corner is cleared and the Lionesses look to break up the pitch.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England 0-0 Haiti

10:31 , Mike Jones

Kick off!

Sarina Wiegman decided to go with Alessia Russo as the primary forward for this match with Rachel Daly waiting in the wings. Russo gets the match started and gives the ball to Georgia Stanway.

The Lionesses look to maintain possession and build out from the back.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England vs Haiti

10:28 , Mike Jones

The players head onto the pitch and the national anthems are sung. England’s World Cup campaign gets underway next, can the European Champions lay down a marker that shows why they’re one of the tournament favourites?

Women’s World Cup 2023: England vs Haiti

10:21 , Jamie Braidwood

“Straight away I was just in shock,” Millie Bright remembers. It was a Wednesday evening in late April when England’s road to the World Cup hit a major bump, as Leah Williamson collapsed over her right knee and hobbled down the tunnel at Leigh Sports Village. The news then confirmed what was initially feared: with two months to go until the Women’s World Cup, England’s captain was out having suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury.

It left the Lionesses needing a new leader. “I don’t think the captaincy crossed my mind at all, hand on heart,” says Bright. After such a severe injury, the defender’s thoughts instead turned to her centre-back partner at last summer’s Euros, but the confirmation soon followed: with Williamson out, Bright will captain England at this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. “There aren’t enough words,” she says. “It’s a massive honour.”

How Millie Bright became England’s ‘voice’ for the Women’s World Cup

How Millie Bright became England’s ‘voice’ for the Women’s World Cup

Women’s World Cup 2023: England vs Haiti

10:16 , Mike Jones

The warm ups are underway and the fans are packing into the stadium. England should have enough quality to win this opening match but they started sluggishly in the Euros and will hope to avoid that today.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England vs Haiti

10:14 , Mike Jones

England are ranked fourth in the world and are one of the favourites to win the whole tournament despite tough competition from the United States, who are attempting to become the first nation to win three successive titles.

“The pressure is always on England,” said Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman. “Everyone expects England to win anyway - that was also the case last year - that’s not different now.”

Women’s World Cup 2023: England vs Haiti

10:09 , Jamie Braidwood

The United States remain the team to beat ahead of the Women’s World Cup and the two-time defending champions remain number one in the Fifa rankings ahead of the tournament.

The USA are looking to become the first country to win three World Cups in a row and have held top spot since 2017.

But the tournament in Australia and New Zealand could bring a shake-up to the order. Europe is catching up and the likes of England, Germany, France and Spain will be coming for the USA’s crown.

Zambia come into the World Cup as the lowest-ranked team at the tournament, which is hosting 32 teams for the first time.

Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup?

Women’s World Cup 2023: Zambia 0-5 Japan

10:08 , Mike Jones

Full-time.

In the end Japan hammered Zambia 5-0 but it could easily have been more. There were a couple of penalties turned down, goals ruled out for offside and plenty of missed chances for Japan.

They’ve set down a marker in this tournament though and move to the top of Group C.

GOAL! Women’s World Cup 2023: Zambia 0-5 Japan

10:06 , Mike Jones

Catherine Musonda comes storming off her line and clatters into Riko Ueki. It’s a clear foul and the Zambian goalkeeper earns a second yellow card followed by a red!

She’s off.

Eunice Sakala comes on to replace her for the stoppage time penalty. She saves it! A strong hand tips the ball onto the bar but wait, there’s a VAR check going on.

Oh no! Sakala left her line too early and the penalty is retaken.

This time Ueki smokes it hom and Japan have a fifth.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England vs Haiti

10:00 , Mike Jones

This will be the first ever match between England and Haiti. The Lionesses have never lost a group stage game against a CONCACAF team played at the Women’s World Cup with two wins and one draw from their three matches.

England vs Haiti latest odds

09:56 , Mike Jones

In a surprise to absolute no-one, England are the massive favourites with the bookmakers to win their opening match at the World Cup when they take on Haiti this morning.

According to Betfair, it would cost punters £80 just to win £1 back should the Lionesses prevail in Brisbane but, for the chancers, Haiti have an outside chance of 75/1 to defeat Sarina Wiegman’s team.

England vs Haiti match odds:

England: 1/80

Draw: 22/1

Haiti: 75/1

Women’s World Cup 2023: England vs Haiti

09:49 , Jamie Braidwood

As the squads have been adjusting to Australia and New Zealand over the last few weeks, many coaches and staff members have been doing what the rest of the public does, bouncing around news stories about the different teams to see how they are doing. It is the point at which an international tournament takes on that enticingly self-contained quality. All eyes still go to the USA, especially with this being Megan Rapinoe’s last World Cup, and the squad looking to see her off with a historic third successive victory.

As the defending champions themselves look around the field, though, they aren’t seeing what they used to. There is the usual confidence, of course, but also some caution. The gap between them and the rest of the teams isn’t as big. Rapinoe’s retirement may well close out a wider era, since the dominant factor in women’s football over the last decade has been how the USA have enjoyed much longer-term development than the rest of the game. That has been seen as especially influential as regards physical conditioning, but the general feeling is that the European game and Australia have caught up.

Big World Cup preview, by Miguel Delaney

Why this Women’s World Cup will be unlike anything we’ve seen before

Women’s World Cup 2023: England vs Haiti

09:42 , Mike Jones

Team news!

Here’s the Haitian team that will line-up against England:

Haiti XI: Kerly Theus, Jennyfer Limage, Tabita Joseph, Melchie Daelle Dumornay, Batcheba Louis, Sherly Jeudy, Nerilla Mondesir, Betina Petit-Frere, Dayana Pierre-Louis, Kethna Louis, Roselord Borgella

GOAL! Women’s World Cup 2023: Zambia 0-4 Japan

09:35 , Mike Jones

Japan are firmly in control of this match now and are starting to get their rewards. Hinata Miyazawa sends them ahead by three goals before Jun Endo adds a fourth with 20 minutes to go.

They draw the Zambian defence over to the right side of the pitch, pulled the ball back into the middle before slipping Endo into space on the left. She carries it into the box and nestles a lovely finish into the far bottom corner.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England vs Haiti

09:29 , Jamie Braidwood

Team news!

Sarina Wiegman had some big calls to make ahead of England’s opening game. The Lionesses manager goes for Alessia Russo over Rachel Daly at No 9, while Chloe Kelly starts ahead of Lauren James on the right. Ella Toone starts at No 10, with James on the bench. Millie Bright is fit enough to start, as expected. We will have to wait and see whether it’s Jess Carter or Alex Greenwood who partners her, with the other slotting in at left back.

Women’s World Cup 2023: England vs Haiti

09:25 , Mike Jones

Team news!

England XI: Mary Earps; Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright, Jess Carter, Alex Greenwood; Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh; Chloe Kelly, Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp; Alessia Russo

The Lionesses have arrived

09:23 , Mike Jones

The official team news will soon be dropping for England’s opener against Haiti. Sarina Wiegman’s side have arrived at the Brisbane Stadium and look ready for this one.

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website