Thrilling England Win in Women's World Cup Opener: Georgia Stanway's Penalty Seals Victory!
England narrowly defeat Haiti 1-0 in their Women's World Cup opener with a retaken penalty by Georgia Stanway Impressive tournament debutants Haiti put up a strong fight, but the Lionesses secure a hard-fought victory Exciting matches and challenges await in the upcoming schedule
England narrowly defeated Haiti in their Women's World Cup debut with Georgia Stanway's successful retaken penalty sealing a 1-0 victory. The game saw a series of intense moments, including England's initial penalty appeal being denied by VAR. The Lionesses were later granted a penalty when Batcheba Louis was penalized for handball.
Stanway's first attempt was stopped by goalkeeper Kerly Theus, leading to a jubilant reaction from her teammates. However, VAR detected that Theus was stray off her position. Consequently, the referee instructed the penalty to be retaken. Stanway skillfully converted her second try, securing the win. Despite England's lackluster performance, this goal proved sufficient. Meanwhile, Haiti demonstrated that they were not merely participating in their first major tournament to fill a spot.
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Both Melchie Dumornay and Roselord Borgella had opportunities arise, but Mary Earps, the goalkeeper for England, made two remarkable saves in the second half to prevent Haiti from scoring their first goal in the World Cup.
How the Lionesses edged to victory
England seize first place in Group D, preparing for Denmark vs China later on Saturday, while Haiti boosts their chances of earning points against the other teams in the group.
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Georgia Stanway celebrates with her fellow England players as the stage is set for an exhilarating first half. The tone is established right from the start as Millie Bright and Ella Toone commit careless errors, giving Haiti an opportunity to exploit. In an impressive move, it is Haiti who comes close to scoring early on, with Borgella capitalizing on a hasty decision made by Bright. However, her shot goes wide.
The initial VAR review took place in the 16th minute, assessing a potential penalty for England following Dayana Pierre-Louis' clumsy challenge on Chloe Kelly. However, moments before that incident, Tabita Joseph had been fouled by Alessia Russo. Upon reviewing the footage, the referee determined that Haiti should be awarded a free-kick instead.
Shortly after, another VAR check occurred. Lucy Bronze's flick was deemed to have struck Louis' hand, leading to Georgia Stanway being chosen to take the penalty for England. Nevertheless, her initial attempt was expertly saved by Theus, resulting in her teammates celebrating around her.
However, their brief moments of success were cut short when VAR detected the goalkeeper's positioning offside, prompting the referee to order a retake of the penalty. Stanway seized the opportunity and successfully broke the deadlock, putting an end to England's three-match goal drought.
As the first half progressed, both teams had opportunities to score. The talented Haitian team, in particular, had a chance to go into halftime on equal terms. However, Borgella failed to convert both opportunities created by Dumornay, while Russo posed a significant threat for England on the opposite end.
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In the opening minutes of the second half, Haiti made another strong attempt. Dumornay unleashed a powerful shot from a distance of 20 yards, but Earps showcased her agility with a remarkable one-handed save to deny it. England managed to clear the ball after the rebound.
Russo also had two fast attempts that Theus managed to deal with, while Bright sent a poorly aimed volley into the stands despite being in a good position.
The game carried on in a similar fashion, with England squandering their chances while Haiti appeared more dangerous on the opposite side. Once again, Earps was called upon, first to prevent Roseline Eloissaint from scoring, and then to punch away a late corner that caused some anxiety, ultimately securing England's victory with three points.
What's next?
England's next match in Group D will be against Denmark on July 28 at 9.30am. After that, their last group stage game will be against China on August 1 at 12pm.What is the schedule?
The group stage, which is set to conclude on August 3, is currently underway. The top two teams from each group will advance to the round of 16, scheduled to take place from August 5 to August 8.The quarter-finals are set to take place on August 11 and 12 in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane, and Sydney. Following the quarter-finals, the first semi-final will occur on August 15 in Auckland, while the second semi-final will be held on August 16 at Accor Stadium in Sydney. Lastly, the final match will be hosted at Accor Stadium on August 20.
A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.
