News desk
\nRENNES
\nThe women\u2019s World Cup moved up a gear on Saturday with three matches including a narrow German victory over China that left the winners complaining that they were roughed up, but Sunday\u2019s three-match programme finishes with a new chapter in the oldest international football rivalry, as England take on Scotland in Nice.
\nGermany beat China 1-0 in Rennes on Saturday with a 66th-minute goal by 19-year-old Giulia Gwinn.
\nLater, Spain came from behind against first-time participants South Africa to win 3-1 and join Germany at the top of Group B.
\nIn the evening, Norway found there is life after Ada Hegerberg, scoring three times in 20 minutes in the middle of the first half to beat Nigeria 3-0 in Group A.
\nThe Germans complained that the Chinese had aimed for their ankles. \u201cThey were often late in the tackles and kept catching our feet,\u201d said German captain Alexandra Popp.
\nCoach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg said she had not been sure at one stage if star Dzsenifer Marozsan would finish the match. \u201cA lot of our players were caught on the ankle today, and it doesn\u2019t look good for some of them. What Dzseni Marozsan suffered today was brutal.\u201d
\n\u201cWe were a little surprised by the assertive approach of the Chinese, but it\u2019s a competitive game, not a friendly,\u201d she said.
\nIn Le Havre, South Africa took a shock lead with their first ever shot on target at a Women\u2019s World Cup when Thembi Kgatlana, who plays for Beijing BG Phoenix in China, curled a right-foot shot into the top corner in the 25th minute.
\nSpain dominated possession, but needed 69th and 82nd-minute penalties, both converted by Jennifer Hermoso, to regain control of the game.
\nGuro Reiten scored Norway\u2019s first goal and gave a player-of-the-match display to suggest Norway can thrive without Lyon striker Hegerberg who refused to come to the tournament.
\n\u201cI don\u2019t think I have played better,\u201d Reiten said.
\nThe victory puts Norway level with France at the top of Group A.
\nOn Sunday evening, England and Scotland meet for the first time in a Women\u2019s World Cup.
\nEngland lost in the semi-finals in 2015 and at Euro 2017 but those runs attracted attention and they won the prestigious SheBelieves Cup in the United States earlier this year.
\n\u201cFor us as players, we know that there is a lot more interest in our team, and obviously with the results and the success that we have had with the SheBelieves, of course that brings a little bit of pressure and a little bit of expectation,\u201d said the captain, Steph Houghton.
\nScotland kick off their first World Cup match with memories still fresh from their 6-0 humbling at the hands of England at Euro 2017.
\nThe Scots are much-changed since the 2017 humiliation. Former Arsenal boss Shelley Kerr has taken over as coach and key players who missed that game are set to feature this time.
\n\u201cProbably of all the teams we\u2019ve got in the group stages this is our toughest game by far. I think Scotland can go a long way in the competition with the quality they\u2019ve got,\u201d said England coach Phil Neville, even though Group D also contains Japan, winners in 2011 and England\u2019s semi-final conquerors four years ago.
\nLeading Scotland into a World Cup puts Kerr in a privileged position. After all, the men have not been to a major tournament since 1998.
\n\u201cObviously it is our first World Cup, we are the first Scottish team to play at a World Cup for over two decades,\u201d said Kerr.
\nEarlier on Sunday, there are two games in Group C.
\nAustralia, a constant force in women\u2019s football take on a rising power, Italy, in Valenciennes.
\nThen the Samba football of Brazil encounters the Reggae Girlz of Jamaica in Grenoble. While former finalists Brazil still boast the greatest woman footballer, Marta, Jamaica, appearing for the first time, are the lowest ranked team in the tournament.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
News desk RENNES The women\u2019s World Cup moved up a gear on Saturday with three matches including a narrow German victory over China that left the winners complaining that they were roughed up, but Sunday\u2019s three-match programme finishes with a new chapter in the oldest international football rivalry, as England take on Scotland in Nice. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n