France are under pressure already at the Women’s World Cup after their opening draw against Jamaica, and are in need of a result against Brazil in one of the most highly anticipated fixtures of the group stages.
Les Bleues were held to a shock goalless draw by the Reggae Girlz in the opening match of Group F, while Brazil turned on the style as they thrashed Panama and Ary Borges scored a hat-trick in the 4-0 win.
Jamaica will be without star striker Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw against Panama after she was sent off late on against the French, but a place in the last-16 would be within reach should Brazil make it two wins out of two.
Elsewhere at the Women’s World Cup, Sweden put five past Italy to book their place in the knockout stages, with defender Amanda Ilestedt scoring twice to take her to three goals for the tournament overall.
Meanwhile, Australia captain Sam Kerr confirmed she will be available for the Matildas’ final group stage encounter with Canada after missing their first two Women’s World Cup matches with a calf injury.
Follow the latest World Cup scores, updates and news in today’s live blog:
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Latest updates
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The Women’s World Cup continues in Australia and New Zealand
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France face Brazil in one of the matches of the group stages (11:00 BST)
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Panama and Jamaica look for first World Cup win in Group F (13:30 BST)
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Full time! Superb Sweden thrash Italy 5-0 to book place in knockout stages
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Sam Kerr to return from calf injury for Australia’s must-win clash with Canada
Women’s World Cup LIVE: France vs Brazil
10:40 , Jamie Braidwood
Brazil are full of confidence after their dazzling 4-0 win opening against tournament debutants Panama, and another win here would assure the South Americans a last 16 spot.
“The team is loud, there is a lot of confidence,” Brazil coach Pia Sundhage said. “Not conceding goals is very important but, at the end of the day, it will be more important to score goals against France.
“To put away our chances is what it is all about. If you do that and get a goal, the self-confidence and the team spirit will be very different and they will continue to play the way we want to play.”
FULL TIME! Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 5-0 Italy
10:34 , Jamie Braidwood
A stunning way for Sweden to wrap up an eye-catching performance. Does this put down a marker for the rest of the tournament?
FULL TIME! Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 5-0 Italy
10:30 , Jamie Braidwood
Sweden advance to the knockout stages with an emphatic victory against Italy, who fell apart as Sweden scored a flurry of goals late in the first half.
That is Sweden’s biggest World Cup victory since 1991.
GOAL! Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 5-0 Italy
10:28 , Jamie Braidwood
WHAT A WAY TO FINISH! Rebecka Blomqvist scores a stunning individual goal after starting from just inside her own half – she nutmegs the Italy defender, races clear, and then produces a composed finish to add Sweden’s fifth.
A five-star performance from the Olympic silver medalists.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 4-0 Italy
10:25 , Jamie Braidwood
90 mins: Into six minutes of added time for a contest that was over a long time ago. Goal difference could be a factor on the final day, should Argentina beat Sweden and Italy draw to South Africa, so this could be a costly evening for the Italians…
But as long as Italy don’t lose to South Africa and better Argentina’s result against Sweden, they should be fine.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 4-0 Italy
10:13 , Jamie Braidwood
75 mins: Understandably, Italy have just been flattened by Sweden’s flurry of goals either side of the half-time break. Sweden are meanwhile taking the chance to rest some legs ahead of facing Argentina in their final fixture.
As it stands, they would just need a draw to be sure of top spot in Group G. That would put them against the runners-up of Group E, which will be one of the USA, Netherlands or Portugal…
Women’s World Cup LIVE: France vs Brazil
10:07 , Jamie Braidwood
The big news ahead of the match of the day between France and Brazil is that Les Bleues skipper Wendie Renard is fit to start after overcoming an injury scare.
The defender played through an injury niggle in the 0-0 draw against Jamaica but is ready to face Brazil in this morning’s key Group F clash.
Brazil have made some changes, with Geyse and Debinha both starting.
France: Peyraud-Magnin, Perisset, Lakrar, Renard, Karchaoui, Toletti, Geyoro, Dali, Diani, Le Sommer, Bacha.
Subs: Durand, Fazer, de Almeida, Majri, Mateo, Tounkara, Le Garrec, Asseyi, Feller, Cascarino, Becho, Picaud.
Brazil: Leticia, Antonia, Lauren, Rafaelle, Tamires, Ary Borges, Kerolin, Luana, Adriana, Debinha, Geyse.
Subs: Barbara, Kathellen, Andressa, Ana Vitoria, Marta, Bruninha, Duda, Beatriz, Monica, Angelina, Gabi Nunes, Camila Gomes.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 4-0 Italy
09:54 , Jamie Braidwood
59 mins: This a pretty shambolic scoreline for Italy. The head coach Milena Bertolini needed a good World Cup after last summer’s disappointing group-stage exit at the Euros. This defeat does not end Italy’s hopes of reaching the last-16, but they will need to improve when they face South Africa in the final round.
GOAL! Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 4-0 Italy
09:41 , Jamie Braidwood
No let-off from Sweden! It’s ANOTHER goal from a corner! And it’s ANOTHER header from Ilestedt!
It comes from the right and Andersson’s delivery is once again superb, put into a dangerous area, and Ilestedt rises to head home her second of the game and Sweden’s fourth!
Ilestedt is now leading the golden boot race with three goals, along with Brazil’s Ary Borges.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 3-0 Italy
09:38 , Jamie Braidwood
45 mins: Back underway in Wellington – Sweden look set for the knockout stages, but can Italy mount a comeback?
HALF TIME! Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 3-0 Italy
09:27 , Jamie Braidwood
It’s raining goals in Wellington – those three from Sweden actually came within seven minutes and seven seconds.
The delivery from Jonna Andersson has been excellent.
HALF TIME! Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 3-0 Italy
09:23 , Jamie Braidwood
Well that escalated quickly.
That was ruthless from Sweden. After an even first 20 minutes, Sweden come to life and turn the match around with three goals in six minutes. The opener from the corner changed the game, and Italy fell apart from there. Sweden are heading for the last-16.
GOAL! Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 3-0 Italy
09:18 , Jamie Braidwood
45 mins: WOW! A total collapse from Italy and Sweden surely have the match won now! Sweden get their third goal in six minutes – and this one isn’t from a corner. They fly forward down the right through Kaneryd, who cuts it back towards Rolfo. Amid the last-ditch challenges, the ball deflects in off Blackstenius!
GOAL! Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 2-0 Italy
09:16 , Jamie Braidwood
42 mins: Sweden strike again from the corner! It’s the same corner routine from the right, but this time it’s met by Fridolina Rolfö at the back post! The Barcelona star bundles the ball into the back of the net, with Italy unable to clear off the line!
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 1-0 Italy
09:16 , Jamie Braidwood
41 mins: Chance! Durante saves Italy with a vital challange! Italy almost played themselves into danger with a back-pass, but Durante is quick off her line to slide on on Blackstenius as she tried to round the goalkeeper. That would have been an open goal… but Italy are able to clear for the corner.
GOAL! Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 1-0 Italy
09:12 , Jamie Braidwood
39 mins: Breakthrough for Sweden – and it’s Amanda Ilestedt again for Sweden! The match-winner against South Africa comes up with another big goal here against Italy. The defender rises highest in the box to meet Jonna Andersson’s inswinging corner, beating the Italy goalkeeper Durante to the cross. From there, it’s flicked deftly into the far corner. That’s just what Sweden needed.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 0-0 Italy
09:07 , Jamie Braidwood
33 mins: This has been a better spell from Sweden – but they are still not offering that much of a threat. Almost to sum it up, Blackstenius receives the ball after making the run down the channel and whips in the cross… only to find no one was there.
Sweden still with some figuring out to do.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 0-0 Italy
09:02 , Jamie Braidwood
27 mins: It took Sweden almost 25 minutes to get their first touches inside the Italy penalty box – but then comes a mad scramble in the area where Di Guglielmo is forced to make a key block in front of the goalline. From the corner, Durante has to punch away a dangerous inswinging cross. Better from Sweden.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 0-0 Italy
08:54 , Jamie Braidwood
22 mins: Sweden get their first effort on target as Rubensson catches a half-volley well from the edge of the box. Durante makes the comfortable save.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 0-0 Italy
08:49 , Jamie Braidwood
17 mins: Chance! Cantore fires another snap-shot on target, trying to catch out Musovic at her near post. The Sweden goalkeeper spills, but is able to recover at the second attempt. Not the most convincing goalkeeping.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 0-0 Italy
08:48 , Jamie Braidwood
15 mins: Italy have looked much sharper than Sweden in this opening spell. There’s a real snap about them in midfield and they are winning possession back very well, not allowing Sweden to get into any sort of rhythm.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 0-0 Italy
08:41 , Jamie Braidwood
8 mins: Sweden may feel they have a point to prove tonight after scraping past South Africa in their opener. Asllani, who turns 34 today, has seen some early touches but finding the right ball through to Blackstenius and getting numbers around the striker will be key today.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden 0-0 Italy
08:35 , Jamie Braidwood
3 mins: Italy have made a lively and positive start, looking to use the pace of Bonansea on the wing and Cantore leading the line. Cantore sees an early snap-shot saved by Musovic.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sweden vs Italy
08:28 , Jamie Braidwood
What a joy it is to hear the stirring sounds of the Italian national anthem early in the morning. Kick-off is next! Yesterday’s draw between Argentina and South Africa means both these sides can qualify with a win.
Sweden are very much the experienced side – they have reached the semi-finals or better at their last three major tournaments.
Italy are a far younger side on average – keep an eye out for 16-year-old Giulia Dragoni, who starts in midfield again today.
Women’s World Cup LIVE
08:25 , Jamie Braidwood
Sweden and Italy can both qualify for the last-16 of the Women’s World Cup with a win today as they meet in Group G in Wellington.
Both teams found late winners to make a winning start to their World Cup campaigns.
Sweden needed a 90th-minute winner from Amanda Ilestedt to secure an opening win against South Africa last weekend, while Cristiana Girelli’s 87th-minute header gave Italy a 1-0 win over Argentina.
Here are the teams with kick-off just a few moments away:
Sweden: Musovic, Bjorn, Ilestedt, Eriksson, Andersson, Angeldal, Rubensson, Kaneryd, Asllani, Rolfo, Blackstenius.
Subs: Falk, Sembrant, Lennartsson, Sandberg, Janogy, Hurtig, Jakobsson, Blomqvist, Seger, Bennison, Schough, Enblom.
Italy: Durante, Boattin, Salvai, Linari, Di Guglielmo, Caruso, Giugliano, Beccari, Dragoni, Bonansea, Cantore.
Subs: Giuliani, Severini, Orsi, Giacinti, Girelli, Glionna, Bartoli, Serturini, Lenzini, Greggi, Cernoia, Baldi.
Women’s World Cup latest odds
08:21 , Jamie Braidwood
The USA are the reigning World Cup champions and remain favourites to regain their title for a third tournament in a row after winning the 2015 and 2019 editions.
However, the group stages have thrown up a few alternatives that could challenge them. England, as current European champions, were well backed ahead of the tournament but their opening two performances haven’t been convincing though the odds remain short that the Lionesses will go far.
The two big names impressing in Australia are Spain and Germany. The Spaniards hammered Zambia 5-0 in their opening match while the Germans defeated Morocco 6-0.
Couple this with the USA being far from their best and this World Cup could yield a surprise winner.
Here are the latest odds for the next fixtures as well as the outright tournament winner:
Women’s World Cup Odds 2023: Latest Odds Compared
Women’s World Cup LIVE
08:14 , Jamie Braidwood
The Canadian women’s national team reached an interim agreement with Canada Soccer to secure compensation for 2023, the players said on Friday, amid the governing body’s financial constraints.
Canada’s men’s team said on Tuesday they remained unpaid from their own World Cup in 2022, adding that the governing body is now attempting to capitalize on the pressure of the women’s tournament to force them into an inadequate deal.
“We have been forced to choose between compensation and the funding required to hold necessary training camps,” women’s national team players said in a statement posted on the social media of the Canadian Soccer Players’ Association (CSPA).
“We have been forced to choose between receiving a fair share of the rewards from our teams’ successes at the World Cups and our commitment to equal pay and equal treatment with our Men’s National Team.
“These are choices we should not have had to make.”
The players said the new agreement includes prize money allocation from the ongoing Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand but added they were disappointed with not having reached a “more complete” deal.
Women’s World Cup LIVE
08:08 , Jamie Braidwood
The United States must find their rhythm after falling out of sync in their 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, midfielder Andi Sullivan said, with everything on the line for their final match of the Women’s World Cup group stage on Tuesday.
The four-times champions face a do-or-die meeting with debutantes Portugal in their last Group E game, where they must win or draw to avoid the humiliation of missing the knockout stage for the first time.
It is not the position the Americans hoped to be in as they pursue an unprecedented third consecutive title.
“(Portugal are) a strong team, going to be a tough game, we know what’s on the line,” Sullivan told reporters on Saturday. “We have shown a lot of pieces – it’s just a matter of stringing all those pieces together and being very in sync.”
Women’s World Cup LIVE
07:56 , Jamie Braidwood
England manager Sarina Wiegman confirmed Keira Walsh suffered a “serious” injury against Denmark after the key Lionesses midfielder was stretchered off during the first half of their Women’s World Cup win.
Walsh was left on crutches after her studs caught on the turf and she went down holding her right knee, an injury which is likely to rule the Barcelona star out for the rest of the World Cup.
The 26-year-old was England’s player of the match when the Lionesses won the Euros last summer and is pivotal to the team’s chances of winning the World Cup in Australia.
We are still awaiting further awaits on the extent of Walsh’s injury.
England manager Sarina Wiegman reacts to ‘serious’ Keira Walsh injury
Women’s World Cup LIVE
07:54 , Jamie Braidwood
Colombia’s teenaged striker Linda Caicedo is healthy two days after she collapsed in training, coach Nelson Abadia said on Saturday, adding that the frightening incident was partly due to the pressure of playing in her first Women’s World Cup.
Caicedo, who is expected to play Sunday when Las Cafeteras face Germany at Sydney Football Stadium, slowed to a stop during training on Thursday, then put a hand to her chest and laid down on the pitch as teammates and medical staff rushed to her aid.
“It’s just an incident, she was tired,” Abadia said. “She was a bit stressed as well, because she was playing in her first World Cup . . . (which) has great relevance. And she’s 18 years of age. She’s a girl as far as football goes. But she has a great capacity and great character to assimilate all of this.
“That is why she’s one of the players in the world today who is a rising star. And it was just an episode, it’s finished, it’s over. We’re quite happy about this. No problem.”
Caicedo became the youngest player to score in this World Cup in Columbia’s 2-0 win over South Korea.
Women’s World Cup LIVE
07:51 , Jamie Braidwood
Today’s fixtures
Group G: Sweden vs Italy (08:30, Wellington) – BBC Two
Group F: France vs Brazil (11:00, Brisbane) – BBC One
Group F: Panama vs Jamaica (13:30, Perth) – ITV 4
Women’s World Cup LIVE
07:49 , Jamie Braidwood
Australia captain Sam Kerr confirmed she will be available for the Matildas’ final group stage encounter with Canada after missing their first two Women’s World Cup matches with a calf injury.
The Matildas’ chances of progressing from Group B hang in the balance after Thursday’s surprise 3-2 defeat to Nigeria in Brisbane, and only victory over the Olympic champions on Monday will see Tony Gustavsson’s side qualify for the last 16, barring a draw scenario that will still rely on the Republic of Ireland beating Nigeria.
Kerr, her country’s top goal-scorer of either gender, is not just Australia’s strongest weapon – she is more symbolically the poster-woman for this tournament both in her native country and, arguably, around the world.
The Chelsea striker would not confirm if the encouraging update would mean the home support would see her start in Melbourne, telling a press conference: “I feel good. The plan has always been the same, miss the first two games then reassess.
“I’m feeling good, I was out on the pitch today. As good as I can be.”
Women’s World Cup LIVE
07:45 , Jamie Braidwood
France are under pressure already at the Women’s World Cup after their opening draw against Jamaica, and are in need of a result against Brazil in one of the most highly anticipated fixtures of the group stages.
Les Bleues were held to a shock goalless draw by the Reggae Girlz in the opening match of Group F, while Brazil turned on the style as they thrashed Panama and Ary Borges scored a hat-trick in the 4-0 win.
Jamaica will be without star striker Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw against Panama after she was sent off late on against the French, but a place in the last-16 would be within reach should Brazil make it two wins out of two.
Elsewhere at the Women’s World Cup, Sweden and Italy have the chance to book their spot in the knockout stages as they meet in Group F. A victory for either side would be enough, following the draw between Argentina and South Africa on Friday.
Follow the latest World Cup scores, updates and news in today’s live blog
