Elevate-off for the Lionesses! Georgia Stanway scores penalty after retake drama to lastly take 1-0 lead in opposition to Haiti in girls’s soccer World Cup

England followers dreaming of World Cup glory erupted in celebration after Georgia Stanway transformed a penalty from the spot to take a 1-0 lead over Haiti within the Lionesses’ event opener Down Beneath.

Simply moments earlier than Stanway had her first penalty shot emphatically saved when Hattian goalkeeper Kerly Théus tipped the ball previous the submit. However after being given a second likelihood when Théus was dominated to have encroached from her line, Stanway this time put the ball at the back of the online as cheers fired out across the stadium.

Each England and Hati followers on the Lang Stadium in Australia’s sunshine state struggled to stay of their seats because the match kicked off at 7.30pm native time (10.30 BST) with a frantic begin.

St. George’s flag-clad supporters, match with England-branded bucket hats and scarves, had been pictured taking within the ambiance as their emotions were stirred once again by England’s Lionesses.

Chants of ‘England, England, England’ rang out throughout the bottom as the joy constructed with some promising half-chances for Sarina Wiegman’s girls.

Again dwelling, tens of millions of supporters are gathering in pubs and huddling spherical their televisions this morning as they dream of World Cup glory within the weeks to return.

After capturing the nation’s coronary heart with their enthralling win over Germany final yr to raise the Ladies’s European Championship trophy, Sarina Wiegman’s girls will once more be seeking to create reminiscences as they kick off their tournament opener.

Whereas England followers again dwelling had been excited for the event’s potential, the anticipation was matched in Haiti as followers within the small Caribbean nation purchased televisions simply so they might watch their crew.

England sit 49 locations above Haiti on the planet rankings, and are anticipated to win comfortably in a recreation that has been dubbed a possible goalfest for the Lionesses.

However the match proved to be even type the beginning with each England and Haiti incomes potential probabilities.

After 20 minutes of tense play, England followers erupted in pleasure when it seemed like they had been to be awarded a penalty.

However the pleasure was rapidly quashed when the Venezuelan referee Emikar Calderas consulted VAR and dominated out a spot kick.

Simply 5 minutes later England got one other likelihood when a whipped in nook kick was hand-balled, awarding them a penalty.

After an unbelievable save by the Hattian keeper, deemed as encroachment, the spot kick needed to be taken once more.

This time Georgia Stanway transformed from the spot as immense cheers shot up from England supporters across the floor. 

Wiegman’s girls are some of the fancied groups at this yr’s event, however her squad is already depleted with several injuries to key gamers and can want to have the ability to contend with double-reigning champions USA and Spain.

Earlier this morning, England followers had been on the brink of revel within the mixture of trepidation and pleasure for the event.

Though kick off was at 10.30am within the UK, many had been already heading in the direction of the pub to look at the forthcoming match.

Followers posted photos to social media exhibiting themselves preparing as one additionally confirmed off the compulsory and conventional St. George’s flag draped out of the highest window of their dwelling.  

England’s build-up to the event has been clouded by an ongoing dispute between the gamers and the Soccer Affiliation over bonus funds on high of the cash they are going to earn from world soccer governing physique FIFA.

However the Lionesses have agreed to pause discussions with the FA as they intention to again up their continental triumph with success on the worldwide stage.

Wiegman, who has not been concerned within the talks, stated the stalled discussions had not been a distraction within the crew’s preparations for the event.

‘We’re right here and we have now a dream,’ she stated. ‘After all there may be at all times an opportunity to win the World Cup. We’ll give the whole lot. You name it noise (the bonus row).

‘Once we go on the pitch, everyone seems to be aligned and everybody is targeted on soccer. I have never seen another behaviours, so sure, we’re prepared.

‘They felt snug to make use of their platform (to place their aspect of the bonus argument) and their platform has develop into greater. However now it is all about soccer — the one focus is on soccer.

‘We stated we need to be prepared and we’re. We now have had our final session and we’re able to go.’

England are overwhelming favourites to beat Haiti on Saturday, who’re competing at their first World Cup and ranked 53rd on the planet. ‘We now have a number of respect for them, they’ve performed rather well,’ Wiegman stated. ‘We now have a complete crew behind us to analyse our opponents, so we all know the whole lot we have to find out about Haiti.

‘We now have by no means performed them however we’re very properly ready and I do not suppose there may be any stone unturned in our preparation for this recreation.’

Wiegman admitted the title of European champions would convey additional stress however believes her crew have develop into adept at dealing with expectation.

‘The stress is at all times on England,’ she stated. ‘Everybody expects England to win — that was the identical final yr (on the Euros). What we’re attempting to do is play our recreation and give attention to what we have now to do and the way we will do it.’

It got here after holders United States started their quest for an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup title in opposition to debutants Vietnam in Auckland within the early hours of this morning.

The giants of the ladies’s recreation capped off a high-quality efficiency with a 3-0 win over Vietnam, already setting down a marker for England to chase. 

The Individuals are plotting a fairytale sendoff for the retiring Megan Rapinoe, taking part in at her fourth and ultimate World Cup, with co-captain Lindsey Horan saying they need to ship the veteran ahead ‘out on a excessive’ by retaining the title.

‘She was a task mannequin for me rising up,’ Horan stated earlier than the Group E opener. ‘It is arduous desirous about somebody who has been so near you on the sphere, that that is her final main event and is retiring.

‘However it’s also a strategy to have a good time her. We need to win for this crew, this nation. However to ship her out on a excessive can be unbelievable.’

Japan, who received the title in 2011 and had been runners-up in 2015, will get their Group C marketing campaign underway in Hamilton, New Zealand in opposition to Zambia – one other crew making their event debut.

Denmark, led by captain and all-time high scorer Pernille More durable, return to the World Cup after a 16-year absence and can face Asian champions China of their first Group D recreation in Perth.