Today at the Women’s World Cup: England, USA and five-star Japan claim victories

Football Mad -

A bumper Saturday at the Women’s World Cup saw four games played across Australia and New Zealand.

World champions the United States and Euro 2022 winners England started their quest to lift the trophy with wins as Haiti and Vietnam were beaten.

Denmark and Japan also picked up victories over China and Zambia, respectively.

Here Football Mad takes a look at all of the action.

Holders on form

Lindsey Horan, left, and Sophia Smith, right, were the goalscorers for the United States (Andrew Cornaga/AP)

Two first-half goals from Sophia Smith got the United States’ defence of the Women’s World Cup under way with a 3-0 win over Vietnam in Auckland.

But the tournament favourites were wasteful in front of goal, missing a penalty as they failed to turn their dominance – 28 shots to none – into a bigger win against outclassed but determined opposition.

Rising star Smith fired them ahead after 14 minutes, running on to Alex Morgan’s flick to fire a shot past goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Tranh.

The USA dominated the rest of the first half but failed to add to their lead: Julie Ertz, debutant Savannah DeMelo, Lindsay Horan, Smith and Morgan all having chances before Morgan wasted the best opportunity, Kim Tranh saving her weak spot-kick given for a foul on Trinity Rodman.

Five-star Japan

Japan made light work of World Cup debutants Zambia to start their campaign with a comfortable 5-0 win.

Hinata Miyazawa hit a brace with Mina Tanaka striking between her two goals and Jun Endo adding a fourth to pull Japan well clear.

There was still time for late drama as Zambia goalkeeper Catherine Musonda was sent off for conceding a late penalty.

Substitute stopper Eunice Sakala saved Riko Ueki’s resulting spot-kick but Ueki scored on the second attempt after Sakala was deemed to have come off her line.

Toil for England

Georgia Stanway’s retaken penalty was the only thing to separate England and Haiti (Zac Goodwin/PA)

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 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 repelled at the last by Mary Earps’ outstretched foot.

While the Lionesses ultimately walked away with all three points, it was an underwhelming performance that will leave boss Sarina Wiegman with plenty of questions.

Late Danes

Likely to be England’s fiercest Group D rivals, Denmark sealed a 1-0 win over China courtesy of a late goal from substitute Amalie Vangsgaard.

The Paris St Germain forward came on with five minutes remaining in Perth and broke the stalemate as she headed in Penille Harder’s corner as the clock ticked into the 90th minute.

The goal survived a VAR check as the officials ruled that defender Rikke Sevecke had not prevented Xu Huan in the China goal from keeping out Vansgaard’s effort.

Denmark and England now face off on Friday, with both sides aiming for improvements on their narrow victories.

Picture of the Day

Stanway celebrates her match-winning penalty against Haiti (Zac Goodwin/PA)

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Up Next

Group G: Sweden v South Africa (6am Sunday, Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington)
Group E: Netherlands v Portugal (8.30am Sunday, Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin)
Group F: France v Jamaica (11am Sunday, Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney)
all times BST