Women's World Cup LIVE: Australia vs Nigeria result and latest news

England boss Sarina Wiegman declared she is willing to “make changes” as the Lionesses look to secure a second successive World Cup victory against Denmark on Friday.

Wiegman stuck with the same starting XI for every match of England’s triumphant Euro 2022 campaign, but the retirements of striker Ellen White and midfielder Jill Scott alongside injuries to European champions Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby have left her current 23-woman squad looking significantly different.

The 53-year-old called for more “ruthlessness” from her side following the nervy 1-0 tournament-opening win over Haiti, decided by Georgia Stanway’s retaken penalty despite several missed chances in open play.

England midfielder Keira Walsh insists the prospect of completing a personal trophy treble with a World Cup win has scarcely crossed her mind.

Walsh followed up England’s Euro 2022 triumph and player-of-the-match honours in that final with a move to Barcelona, with whom she achieved Champions League glory alongside fellow Lioness Lucy Bronze in June.

A first World Cup at the August 20 Sydney final would cap off a phenomenal 13-month run for Rochdale native Walsh, who joined the Spanish side for what was believed to be a world record fee in September.

Tomorrow promises to be another barnstorming day of Women’s World Cup action as the Lionesses return to the pitch. Here’s who’s playing and at what times:

Group G: Argentina v South Africa (1am, Dunedin)

Group D: England v Denmark (9.30am, Sydney)

Group D: China v Haiti (12pm, Adelaide)

*All times BST

History for Portugal

A point behind the top two in that group are Portugal after their historic result against Vietnam in Hamilton.

Telma Encarnacao scored in the seventh minute and Francisca Nazareth in the 14th – what proved the only goals despite Francisco Neto’s team having numerous further attempts, with Joana Marchao going closest with two efforts that hit the bar in the second half.

Portugal take on the US in their final pool match in Auckland next Tuesday while Vietnam, whose campaign is confirmed as ending at the group stage after two defeats, will face the Netherlands in Dunedin.

Heavyweights share the points

In Group E, the US and the Netherlands are first and second respectively with four points apiece following an engrossing draw in Wellington.

A 17th-minute strike from Jill Roord, teed up by Victoria Pelova, put the Dutch ahead.

The United States equalised just past the hour mark when Lindsey Horan headed in Rose Lavelle’s corner and Alex Morgan later thought she had completed a turnaround, but her finish was ruled out for offside.

Australia stunned

Having opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland last week, Australia were left in danger of missing out on the last 16 following their second group game as Nigeria pulled off a stunning come-from-behind win in Brisbane.

The Matildas, again without injured captain and record scorer Sam Kerr, took the lead through an Emily van Egmond finish in first-half stoppage-time, but Uchenna Kanu restored parity before the break and the African side – ranked 30 places below Australia at 40th in the world – then went in front via Osinache Ohale’s 65th-minute header.

Substitute Asisat Oshoala added a third after 72 minutes, with Australia only able to reply with an Alanna Kennedy header deep in stoppage time, as Nigeria moved to the top of Group B, joining Canada on four points.

They will aim to secure a place in the last 16 when they face already-eliminated Ireland at the same venue on Monday, when Australia, now third, take on Canada in Melbourne looking to avoid an early exit. The second-placed team in this group will face the winners of England’s in the next round, and vice versa.

As Sarina Wiegman admitted she is willing to twist rather than stick, England are still in a position where they are needing more than that.

The Lionesses go into their second match of the Women’s World Cup against Denmark looking to rediscover their goalscoring form and lift the mood that was left rather flat by the opening 1-0 win against Haiti on Saturday.

There are lots of reasons not to panic. It is true to say that the opening games in tournaments are rarely easy, and that the Lionesses also laboured to a 1-0 win over Austria to kick off the Euros last summer.

Wiegman’s teams are typically slow starters, with her Netherlands sides winning 1-0 in their first matches at both the 2017 Euros, which they won, and the 2019 World Cup, where they reached the final.

Sarina Wiegman has revealed that she is willing to “make changes” as the Lionesses prepare to face Denmark at the Women’s World Cup on Friday, 28 July.

The England boss stuck with the same starting XI for every match of the Lionesses’ triumphant Euro 2022 campaign, but the retirements and injuries have left her current squad looking quite different.

World Cup: Wiegman willing to 'make changes' as Lionesses prepare for Denmark clash

Denmark will be making their first appearance at a Women’s World Cup since 2007 and will be desperate to make up for lost time. They will hope to test England and challenge for a place in the last-16.

In Pernille Harder, they have one of the top players in the world and who will be a familiar face to England fans after three successful seasons spent in the Women’s Super League with Chelsea, who she joined for a world-record fee in 2020.

The skillful and tireless attacker leads the line for Denmark, who cannot afford to leave her isolated. One of the game’s most decorated players, Harder will be making her World Cup debut.

Head coach Lars Søndergaard will say goodbye to Denmark after the World Cup after seven years in charge but the team have had their confidence boosted by recent wins against Norway, Japan and Sweden.

Søndergaard, who asks his side to sit deep before breaking on the counter-attack, preferes to field a 3-4-3 formation that can switch to 4-3-3 during sustained attacks.

The Lionesses were declared favourites for the World Cup after winning the Euros and beating the world champions United States in September.

There is less overt optimism now, due to England’s injuries and the quality of the other main contenders, but the Lionesses still remain of the strongest teams at the tournament and have been building towards this moment where they can arrive at a World Cup and act like one of the favourites.

Now it’s about delivering under the pressure and amid the adversity but they’ll be helped by their head coach. Is Sarina Wiegman the best tournament manager in the world?

After winning the Euros in 2017 and reaching the World Cup final in 2019 with her native Netherlands, and then winning the Euros again with England in 2022, Wiegman has every right to make that claim.

The World Cup in 2023 could be her greatest challenge but Wiegman, with her supreme communication, tactical observation, and player management skills, can rise to it.