Lionesses begin World Cup campaign with unconvincing victory
England 1-0 Haiti: Lionesses begin Women’s World Cup campaign with an unconvincing win as Georgia Stanway re-taken first-half penalty proves the difference for the European champions
- England started their Women’s World Cup campaign with a victory on Saturday
- The Lionesses triumphed 1-0 over Haiti in a closely contested Group D clash
- Georgia Stanway’s re-taken penalty was enough to separate the two sides
This was not the statement win that England had wanted. It was not the powerful performance many had been expecting.
It was a narrow, nervy and tightly contested victory against a Haiti side ranked 49 places below them. But it was a win and that is what matters.
Opening World Cup games, for England at least, rarely bring big scorelines. It was a familiar story in 2019 when Phil Neville’s team only just beat Scotland 2-1.
It did not help that the Lionesses came into this match off the back of three games without a goal.
Haiti’s manager Nicolas Delepine had suggested they ‘had a problem with finishing’ and when Georgia Stanway’s 28th minute penalty was saved by his 5ft4in goalkeeper Kerly Theus, there was concern that he maybe had a point.
Georgia Stanway (left) scored the only goal in England’s 1-0 win over Haiti on Saturday
The England No. 8 stepped up to the spot – after missing her first attempt before the referee ordered for it to be re-taken – and slotted the ball home
It was an unconvincing win for the Lionesses, who were held to a close encounter by Haiti
Sarina Wiegman would’ve hoped from a stronger showing from her side in their opening match
Thankfully for England, and Stanway, Theus had crept off her line and the spot-kick was re-taken – with the midfielder converting at the second attempt. England, just about, managed to see out the second half.
ENGLAND VS HAITI MATCH FACTS
England (4-3-3): Earps, Bronze, Bright, Carter, Greenwood, Walsh, Stanway, Kelly, Toone, Hemp (James 61), Russo (Daly 76)
Subs not used: Roebuck, Hampton, Charles, Nobbs, Wubben-Moy, Morgan, Coombs, England, Zelem, Robinson
Booked: Stanway, Hemp
Goals: Stanway 29
Manager: Sarina Wiegman
Haiti (4-3-3): Theus, Petit-Frere, Limage (Mathurin 31), Joseph, Louis (D Joseph 90+2), Jeudy, D. Pierre-Louis, Dumornay, Louis, Borgella, Mondesir
Subs not used: Surpris, Moryl, Etienne, Eloissaint, Ambroise, Pierre-Jerome, Ganthier, Mathurin, Larco, S Joseph, F Joseph, E Joseph
Booked: D Pierre-Louis
Goals: None
Manager: Nicolas Delepine
Referee: Emikar Calderas
Attendance: 44,369
Haiti were dangerous on the counter-attack, with star player Melchie Durmonay pulling the strings in midfield.
What they lacked was a clinical presence up front, but they showed enough here that they could cause Denmark and China problems in their remaining two games.
Sarina Wiegman’s biggest selection dilemma coming into this game was who to start up front – Alessia Russo or Rachel Daly. She went with Russo, but it was a frustrating night for the Arsenal forward – who was thwarted by Theus on a number of occasions.
England were not convincing in defence either, with returning captain Millie Bright in particular looking rusty. Bright was starting her first competitive game in fourth months after undergoing knee surgery and struggled with the tempo of the game.
In the first minute she played a pass straight to the feet of Haiti’s captain Nerilia Mondesir, who broke forward to force a corner – which England only just about dealt with.
Bright was then caught out again when Roselord Borgella ran in behind, but the winger could only fire wide from a tight angle. Suddenly the absence of England’s injured Euros stars – Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby, felt pivotal.
The Lionesses’ passing was sloppy but eventually settled. It llookd as if they were going to be awarded a penalty in the 18th minute after replays showed Dayana Pierre-Louis had raked her studs down Chloe Kelly’s leg.
Referee Emikar Calderas went to the monitor but decided Russo had committed a foul in the build-up. Pierre-Louis was booked for her tackle on Kelly, though in truth she was lucky not to have been shown a red card.
But the VAR drama was far from over as seven minutes later the referee found herself returning to the pitch-side monitor. An England corner was swung to the back-post and Batcheba Louis, for reasons only she will know, jumped with both hands in the air – as if she was trying to catch the cross.
Stanway celebrated her goal in-front of the packed out crowd in the Suncorp Stadium
The ball skimmed her fingertips and it was an easy decision for the referee – penalty. Six of the seven games prior to England’s had seen a penalty awarded – but only two takers had scored.
Georgia Stanway had never missed from the spot at international level but as the midfielder stepped up, Haiti’s 5ft 4in goalkeeper Kerly Theus sprung to her right to push the ball round the post.
She was instantly mobbed by her team-mates but their celebrations were cut short when replays showed she had clearly come off her line. A retake was ordered and Stanway stepped up again.
She went the same way but hard and low, with the Theus rooted to the spot as the net bulged. England had lift off, but they still looked out of sorts.
Dumornay continued to cause problems and nearly found an equaliser at the start of the second half. Her fierce long-range shot was tipped into the air by Mary Earps before England cleared their lines.
Russo then had two opportunities to double her side’s lead but both efforts were saved by Theus. The goalkeeper continued to frustrate the England forward, leaping brilliantly to tip her header over the bar just past the hour mark.
Theus watched on Stanway prepared to take a second-spot kick in just a matter of minutes
The result sees England go top of Group D, prior to China and Denmark’s clash later today
A huge moment came in the 80th minute when Mondesir cut open the England defence to put Roseline Eloissaint through on goal, but Earps stuck out a foot to make a huge save.
It was not convincing, but neither was the Lionesses’ victory over Austria in their first game of the Euros last year. That narrow 1-0 victory was followed up with an unexpected 8-0 thrashing over Norway.
Many had thought that would be their hardest game in the group and the same is expected for the second match against Denmark next week – though a similar scoreline feels unlikely.
As the full-time whistle was blown, a familiar song played over the speakers. Sweet Caroline – the theme tune of England’s Euros triumph. If they want to hear that song played at the final in Sydney on August 19, they have work to do.
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