Match report
Player ratings from England’s win over Denmark. Goalscorer Lauren James gets top marks.
Here’s Suzanne Wrack’s report on England’s 1-0 win over Denmark earlier today.
All four teams can still qualify from the group by the way! Those final matches take place on Tuesday. England, with six points, are obviously in the best position but they’re not through yet. If China beat England and Denmark see off Haiti, England, China and the Danes would all have six points and then it would be down to goal difference.
So, every game in Group D has ended 1-0. If the final two matches – England v China and Denmark v Haiti – go the same way, The Knowledge will be getting very excited.
Full-time: China 1-0 Haiti
It’s all over. Full credit to China for digging out a 1-0 win after playing the second half with 10. But Haiti will feel aggrieved that one of their penalty shouts wasn’t given. In the end, Wang’s spot-kick in the 75th minute has proven decisive.
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90 + 13 min: We’re still playing! This could go on forever with penalty shouts coming every two minutes!
90 + 11 min: Another penalty shout but this one, as Louis goes down, isn’t as strong. Or is it? The referee is running to the side of the pitch but not to check the moniter; she’s telling the Haiti bench to calm down!
90 + 10 min: Dumornay goes down in the box after colliding with Dou. The replay suggests the Haiti player got to the ball first but it’s only a corner. Wow!!! More controversy!!!
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90 + 9 min: Corner to Haiti. Last chance surely. Mondesir goes deep but Louis’ header drops well wide. That could be that.
90 + 8 min: Big chance for Haiti! Mondesir turns sharply in the box but, from a tight angle, blazes her right-foot shot across goal and wide of the far post.
90 + 7 min: China have everyone behind the ball now. Haiti just can’t find a way through though.
90 + 5 min: Was that the last big moment of the match? The clock is ticking and the Haiti fans in the crowd are looking somewhat bereft. The Chinese contingent, as you would imagine, are in full voice.
90 + 3 min: This has been a game of penalties. One that was given and two – one to either side – that weren’t.
Possible penalty to Haiti!!
Eloissaint is grappled to the floor by Chen and this is being checked. The defender had her arms around the Haiti No. 11 but no!! Scrub that. The penalty was initially given but it’s been overturned.
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90 + 2 min: Great ball over the top for Dumornay. She takes it in her stride but her backheel is cut out. But wait….
90 + 1 min: Some good news for Haiti. There will be nine added minutes!!
90 min: Jeudy is replaced by Shwendesky Joseph, who we’re told by the ITV commentary crew is studying for a degree in St Petersburg.
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89 min: This has been a brilliant effort from 10-woman China to not only keep Haiti at bay but then pinch what looks likely to be the winning goal.
88 min: Another change for China as Tang Jiali replaces Zhang, who has put in a right old shift and gets a deserved series of pats on the back from her coaching staff.
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87 min: Great clearance from Yao inside her own six-yard box after a cross from the left.
85 min: A bit of cramp for Zhang delays play but the referee holds up her watch to show that the time will be added on.
84 min: Linyan Zhang pulls the trigger from distance but it’s straight at Theus. Shooting there wasn’t the best idea in terms of running down the clock.
83 min: Good defending from Louis as she shows great pace to stop Xin Zhang, who was bursting through the middle from a China counter-attack.
81 min: Haiti have a free-kick which is too near the goalkeeper, who punches clear. The delivery needs to be much better than that. Haiti are making a double substitution and Chelsea Supris (great name) and Danielle Etienne come on for Pierre-Louis and Mathurin. China bring on Dou Jiaxing.
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79 min: It’s all China now which is quite something given that they’re a player down. The goal from Wang has clearly knocked the stuffing out of Haiti although they still have time.
77 min: Another chance for China to make it 2-0 but the header goes over. We’re seeing replays of the penalty that never was. Hard to fathom how Louis’ tackle wasn’t penalised.
No penalty! Eh! How has that not been given!!!
76 min: Is that another penalty shout? Zhang is down again. I think it is!!!
75 min: As it stands, China will go level on points with Denmark (3pts each). And that means England’s qualification is not yet confirmed.
GOAL! China 1-0 Haiti (Wang, 74)
Wang, the superstar second-half sub, tucks away the penalty into the bottom corner and China, down to 10, have the lead!!!!
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Penalty to China!
No offside and the penalty is given for the foul on Linyan Zhang, whose clever cut-back draws the foul.
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Possible penalty for China!!! Drama! China will surely be given a penalty but is it offside in the build-up. This will be checked. The foul is surely clear-cut but the offside is marginal.
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70 min: Into the final 20 minutes. Will China’s legs tire? They’ve had to play with 10 for all this half and the last few minutes of the first.
68 min: Borgella pulls the ball back to Dumornay whose shot is deflected into the path of Mondesir. With no defender near her, she hooks it wide but is a mile offside anyway. Bottom line though: Dumornay is making things happen.
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67 min: Some respite for the Chinese defence as Lina Yang has a shot from distance but it lacks pace even if the direction is good. Easy for Theus.
65 min: Dumornay tries a backheel into the path of fellow sub Eloissaint but underhits it. Haiti press again and China have to scramble clear in the box. The Steel Roses are rather hanging on here.
65 min: Haiti definitely looking the more dangerous team now as they make their extra player count. But where is that elusive goal?
62 min: Haiti win a corner down the right. Mathurin takes left-footed and it causes chaos. Dumornay tries an acrobatic bicycle kick as the ball bounces but only succeeds in booting poor Yao Wei in the head. That’s a nasty one and the No. 8 will need treatement. Dumornay is shown a yellow card for dangerous play. She checks on Yao’s health and gets a nod of thanks. We’re all good. Meanwhile, Haiti bring on Roseline Eloissaint for Louis.
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60 min: Danger for China as Batcheba Louis pinches possession on the edge of the box. Her cross-cum-shot strikes a China defender and rebounds to safety. That could easily have have deflected towards goal and perhaps even into it.
59 min: Zhu dashes from our line to boot clear as Borgella chases a pass from deep. More substitutions coming shortly.
58 min: Dumornay getting involved but perhaps from too deep. Now it’s the second super-sub, Wang, who threatens as she takes a cross down on her chest but can’t get a shot off on the Haiti goal.
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55 min: That was Haiti’s first effort on goal and it should have put them 1-0 up. The good news: there’s still 35 minutes to go.
54 min: The corner from Jeudy goes straight out. What a waste. Dumornay still wondering how she didn’t score.
52 min: What a save!!! Mondesir is fouled, giving Haiti a free-kick out on the left. The ball is floated in and drops to Dumornay six yards out. It’s a golden chance and she connects well but Zhu pulls of a stunning one-handed save to tip the ball over. Should have been a goal but let’s credit the goalkeeper.
50 min: No immediate impact from the two subs so far. Dumornay went up for a header in the box but was beaten to the ball.
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Some Twitter debate on my timeline in regard to Wang not starting.
Xiaoou: “Think Wang Shuang not starting because her form was terrible during friendlies.”
Christopher Atkins: “She was still in US for most of the camp, they flew her over really late (much later than every other nation brought their players in). Her form in Louisville has been good. There’s more to it than ‘form’.”
47 min: Those were the changes neutrals wanted to see in terms of the attacking intent going up several notches.
Half-time changes - Dumornay and Wang on!
Big news at the start of the second half: Haiti have brought on their star player, Melchie Dumornay, while Wang Shuang is on for China.
Back underway! China 0- 0 Haiti
Let’s go again! Both sides are yet to score a goal in this World Cup. As Karen Carney says in the ITV studio, we need to see “ruthless not toothless”.
By the way, you can read Karen’s latest blog for the Guardian here.
Half-time! China 0-0 Haiti
That’s the half-time whistle and the big news of a 45 minutes that lacked chances is the red card for Zhang Rui which has left China down to 10 and their hopes hanging by a thread. Time for a quick cuppa.
45 + 2 min: Haiti are being a little sloppy here as the half comes to a close. China quicker to the ball. Can they keep that up though?
45 min: We’re into first-half injury time. Just three minutes which seems a bit low given the red-card stoppage and a few injuries.
44 min: That was a big scare for China and perhaps a portent of what’s to come as they battle on with just 10 players. A bit more care and that would have been Haiti in front.
Haiti goal ruled out!
42 min: GOAL FOR HAITI!!! No, it won’t count. A pass comes off the referee’s back which could have caused the strike to be ruled out. But instead it’s a straightforward offside on Mondesir. Haiti’s No. 10 tucks the ball away nicely but is clearly in an offside position when she goes through.
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42 min: China try to break but they’re a player down and lack the numbers.
40 min: And while there’s a Dumornay-shaped hole in the Haiti XI, why are China not turning to their best attacking threat: Wang Shuang? Perhaps it’s all pointing to a dramatic finish. Not much excitement in the first half it has to be said, bar the red card obvs.
39 min: Haiti try a long ball out of defence but it comes to nothing. They really are missing Dumornay’s craft and dribbling skills. Could she come on at half-time?
37 min: Here’s the change. Lou is replaced by Xin Zhang, who started the first game.
35 min: Lots of activity on the China bench as they prepare to reshuffle in response to going down to 10.
34 min: The door is open here for Haiti. Denmark, their final group opponents, haven’t pulled up any trees so far and a win by two goals here would leave Haiti just needing a draw against the Danes to go through to the knockout phase. Email in if I’ve got my permutations wrong!
32 min: Haiti have a free-kick down the right which Zhu flaps away slightly unconvincingly. It’s recycled and Zhu scoops up the low shot.
31 min: Well, this surely changes things. China were the dominant team but are now a player short. Looks like they’ll go 4-4-1.
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Red card - China down to 10!
30 min: That’s a bad tackle from Rui Zhang as she scrapes her studs down Jeudy’s leg. Looks worse the more you see it. The referee takes a look on the monitor and announces that the initial yellow card has been changed to a red. Hard to argue with that.
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28 min: Every so often we get a shot of a frustrated Melchie Dumornay on the bench. When will Haiti bring her on. Just how fit is she?
27 min: Decent atmosphere in the ground. Some loud drums banging away along with screams and shouts of excitement when either team (well, China) attack.
25 min: China still causing the main moments of danger but, as against Denmark, they don’t have much cutting edge. And, let’s be honest, Haiti’s defence isn’t easy to breach as England found out.
23 min: All three Group D games so far have ended 1-0. Will that pattern continue here? China have a free-kick 30 yards out which Zhang Rui thumps towards goal but it’s watched wide by Theus. That was ambitious.
22 min: A moment of panic in the Haiti defence as Tabitha Joseph’s underhit backpass forces goalkeeper Theus to dash out and clear for a corner. In it comes and Wang Shanshan, up from centre-back, nods wide.
19 min: The free-kick is floated into the China box but headed clear by Yao Lingwei. Nothing to see there.
18 min: A crunching tackle in midfield ends with Rui Zhang in a heap. But Haiti get the free-kick for some reason. China’s players look confused.
16 min: First real attempt on goal and it comes from China. Li Mengwen crosses from the right and Lou’s acrobatic hooked effort is saved somewhat casually by Theus as the ball bounces up off the turf.
15 min: Still a bit scrappy. China trying to press high and, with some success, but they aren’t able to do anything with the possession just won.
13 min: Haiti find space down the left but Sherly Jeudy’s cross lacks direction. Both teams looking disciplined in defence and hard to break down.
10 min: China trying too many long balls here. The Haiti defence are tall, strong and easily able to deal with them. A cross comes in from the left but Haiti goalkeeper Kerly Theus deals with it. Then Lou Jiahui charges down a clearance and bursts to the byline but her cross lacks pace and Theus is on hand again.
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8 min: China win corner and play it short. It all gets a bit disjointed and the best they can manage is a rushed shot on the edge of the box that’s charged down.
7 min: Little happening so far, certainly in an attacking sense. It’s certainly not helping that Haiti’s best player, Melchie Dumornay, is only on the bench due to a muscle injury while China’s Wang Shang is also not starting for reasons unknown given how lively she looked against Denmark.
5 min: Looks like we’re already settling down into a pattern. China having possession; Haiti trying to soak it up and hit on the break.
3 min: Throw-in to Haiti down the right. It’s flicked on into the area but rolls out harmlessly for a goalkick.
2 min: China are way above Haiti in the world rankings and are favourites to win this. They’re enjoying the early possession. Haiti had only 25% against England but looked dangerous on the break.
Kick-off! China 0-0 Haiti
Here we go! The stadium DJ nods to China’s nickname (‘Steel Roses’) by playing some Stone Roses and Steely Dan. Not really. It’s a dance number that I don’t know much about I’m afraid.
The teams are coming out and the big question is what colours are they wearing? There’s an awful lot of red in Group D: Denmark, China and Haiti all have it as their first-choice kit. China had to play in their yellow second strip against Denmark but they’ve got the red shirts today. Haiti switch to white.
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China’s women’s team are know as the Steel Roses. The name was given to them by their fans after they lost the 1999 final to the USA. I like it. Blog writer Sara Lynn Hua says: “By calling the Chinese women’s team this, they are suggesting that both traditionally masculine and feminine traits come together to form perfect harmony in the soccer team members.”
China v Haiti is live on ITV1. That’s good, isn’t it. I mean, a shame for Loose Women fans but this will be far more entertaining.
Who to look out for today? How about China’s Wang Shuang. This is from our team guide.
“As it was four years ago, Wang Shuang is China’s standout performer. The 28-year-old, who can play as an attacking midfielder or a second striker, remains a pre-eminent virtuoso. As the most skilful player in Chinese women’s football, Wang is the source of creativity and was the only highlight of China’s disappointing Tokyo Olympics.”
Group D permutations. If Haiti avoid defeat, England are definitely through to the last 16. China are out if they lose.
England have made it six points out of six after a rather nervy 1-0 win over Denmark. The Danes hit the woodwork late on but Lauren James’ excellent early strike proved enough.
Team news
Here are the two teams…
China: Yu Zhu, Mengwen Li, Wei Yao, Shanshan Wang, Qiaozhu Chen, Rui Zhang, Lina Yang, Lingwei Yao, Linyan Zhang, Jiahui Lou, Chengshu Wu.
cHuan Xu, Jiaxing Dou, Linlin Wang, Haiyan Wu, Xin Zhang, Shuang Wang, Mengyu Shen, Jiali Tang, Yuyi Xiao, Yasha Gu, Chen Gao, Hongyan Pan.
Haiti: Kerly Theus, Tabita Joseph, Betina Petit-Frere, Kethna Louis, Ruthny Mathurin, Maudeline Moryl, Sherly Jeudy, Dayana Pierre-Louis, Batcheba Louis, Nerilia Mondesir, Roselord Borgella.
Subs: Nahomie Ambroise, Chelsea Surpris, Melchie Dumornay, Danielle Etienne, Roseline Eloissaint, Esthericove Joseph, Darlina Joseph, Milan Pierre-Jerome, Shwendesky Joseph, Noa Ganthier, Lara-Sofia Larco.
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Oh no, the player I really wanted to watch today, the brilliant Melchie Dumornay, has a muscle injury so doesn’t start. She’s on the bench at least.
Haiti 🇭🇹 XI vs China 🇨🇳
— Haiti Futbol (@HaitiFutbol) July 28, 2023
No dumornay in the line up because of a muscle pain. pic.twitter.com/jQekmmST0U
Fancy some background on the two sides, check out our team guides.
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If you’ve landed here and want to check in on the England v Denmark game, Sarah Rendell is live blogging as we speak. Still 1-0 to England with just over 15 minutes to go.
Preamble
Hello! And welcome to the other game in England’s group today. Both China and Haiti can consider themselves unfortunate to have emerged with nothing from their opening games. Haiti gave England a scare and were only defeated by a twice-taken Georgia Stanway penalty. China created several good chances against Denmark but were undone by a last-minute header from Amalie Vangsgaard that bounced awkwardly in front of goalkeeper Xu Huan.
Not surprisingly, this is the first ever meeting between the teams which adds another layer of intrigue. Which way will it go? Let’s head to the Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide to find out!
