England’s World Cup campaign kicked off with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Haiti, as Georgia Stanway’s retaken penalty secured all three points for the Lionesses in Group D. Despite being placed 49 places below England in FIFA’s world rankings, Haiti displayed remarkable resilience and nearly equalised in the second half.
Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman made some notable selections, opting to include Alessia Russo in the attack and bringing captain Millie Bright back into the starting line-up. Alongside Russo, Ella Toone, Alex Greenwood, Jess Carter, and Chloe Kelly were also among the England starters who were not part of the unchanged starting XI from last year’s Euro 2022 triumph.
The match proved to be a tightly contested affair in the first half, with England taking the lead from the penalty spot thanks to Georgia Stanway’s effort. However, Haiti’s goalkeeper Kerly Théus saved the initial penalty, but a VAR review revealed encroachment, leading to a retake that Stanway confidently dispatched into the bottom left-hand corner.
In the second half, England created several opportunities to extend their lead, but their finishing let them down, while Haiti’s resilient defence and goalkeeping kept the scoreline at 1-0. Haiti, in their World Cup debut, showed impressive determination and missed a golden opportunity to level the scoreline when Roseline Eloissaint’s one-on-one chance was denied by a crucial save from England’s Mary Earps, the Manchester United goalkeeper.
Despite the narrow margin of victory, England’s Lionesses emerged victorious in their opening match, securing all three points and placing them at the top of Group D. With Denmark set to face China later on Saturday, the Lionesses’ next challenge will come against the 13th-ranked Danish team on Friday.
The Women’s World Cup 2023 has already showcased the fierce competition and talent on display, and England’s Lionesses will look to build on their winning start as they aim to make a mark in this prestigious international tournament. The eyes of football fans around the world are fixed on the action in Australia as the teams vie for glory in the pursuit of the Women’s World Cup title.
