Spain face Costa Rica after Canada held to Nigeria draw

18 minutes: The stress continues from Spain – they’ve had 85 per cent of the possession within the opening levels. Costa Rica are setting very deep and are hanging on for expensive life.

England goalkeeper Mary Earps says Nike’s resolution to not promote her equipment through the Women’s World Cup is “hurtful” and “hugely disappointing”.

England’s house and away kits can be found for followers to purchase, however the Lionesses goalkeeper shirts haven’t been put up on the market by the crew’s equipment provider.

Earps was England’s goalkeeper once they received the Euros final summer time and the Manchester United star was named Fifa’s Best Women’s Goalkeeper for 2022.

Earps mentioned England captain Millie Bright had advised her she wished to purchase her equipment for her niece, solely to search out it wasn’t accessible for buy.

9 minutes: Chance! Lovely build-up from Spain – Athenea del Castillo fires in a cross to Esther Gonzalez, who tries to flick a backheel in the direction of the backpost.

Spain threaten once more and Costa Rica goalkeeper Daniela Solera does very nicely to tip the header from Ivana Andrés over the bar.

It’s a really heavy pitch in Wellington after all of the rain – which may make issues troublesome for Spain’s technical gamers as they appear to go and play their means by means of Costa Rica.

Underway! No Alexia Putellas for Spain, however a great deal of star high quality nonetheless on show, particulary in Aitana Bonmati and Salma Paralluelo.

Almost set for kick-off in Wellington, the place it appears to be like very chilly. It has additionally simply began raining.

Zambia and Japan are additionally in Group C – they play their first match tomorrow.

Raquel Rodriguez is Costa Rica’s file scorer with 55 objectives, together with the nation’s first at a World Cup on their solely earlier look in 2015. The Portland Thorns midfielder, who has received over 100 caps for Costa Rica, has urged her team-mates to battle with ardour and dedication as they appear to assert a first-ever World Cup win.

Amelia Valverde took cost of Costa Rica earlier than their earlier World Cup look in 2015, and on the age of simply 28. She stays in cost and has guided the nation again to the World Cup due to a fourth-place end on the 2022 Concacaf Championships. Valverde made the controversial name to depart the 37-year-old Shirley Cruz, Costa Rica’s best ever participant and former captain, out of her squad for the World Cup.

Aitana Bonmati. When an ACL damage robbed two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas of the possibility to play on the Euros final summer time after which took away nearly all the following season, it handed her worldwide and membership team-mate Bonmati the chance to play additional ahead for Barcelona. How she took it. Arguably one of the best participant on the planet over the previous 12 months, the midfielder is technically flawless and has unlocked the power to contribute much more objectives and assists. Although Putellas is now again and can probably seize the eye, Bonmati deserves her personal recognition.

Jorge Vilda is maybe essentially the most divisive head coach on the World Cup, and that’s not simply amongst Spain’s pool of gamers. Vilda confronted criticism for his crew choices final summer time as Spain completed runner-up to Germany within the group levels of the Euros and have been then knocked out by England within the quarter-finals. He survived together with his job, and did so once more as gamers walked out on the crew. He is theoretically below stress once more with Spain’s golden technology anticipated to compete for the title, however he additionally has the backing of the federation.

Alexia Putellas begins on the bench for Spain as they start their World Cup marketing campaign in opposition to Costa Rica. The two-time Ballon d’Or winner remains to be coming again to full health after lacking many of the season from an ACL damage.

Spain XI: Rodriguez, Batlle, Paredes, Andres, Carmona, Bonmati, Abelleira, del Castillo, Hermoso, Paralluelo, Gonzale

Subs: Caldentey, Codina, Coll, Galvez, Guerrero, Hernandez, Navarro, Perez, Putellas, Rebondo, Salon, Zornoza

Costa Rica XI: Solera, Fabiola Villalobos, Benavides, Del Campo, Coto, Alvarado, Gloriana Villalobos, Elizondo, Herrera, Salas, Chinchilla

Subs: Campos, Estrada, Granados, Guillen, Perez, Pinell, Rodriguez, Sanchez, Scott, Tapia, Valenciano, Varela

It’s a gap victory for Switzerland on the Women’s World Cup as they defeat Philippines 2-0 to go prime of Group A.

A primary-half penalty from Ramona Bachmann, the fourth to be awarded in as many video games up to now on the event, set the Swiss on their means earlier than Seraina Piubel made certain of the three factors after the break.

Philippines have been aggressive on their World Cup debut and thought that they had taken the lead, just for Katrina Guillou’s end to be disallowed by the offside flag.

Switzerland will tackle Norway subsequent, whereas Philippines face hosts New Zealand. The Football Ferns defeated Norway of their opening match yesterday, in what was their first ever win on the World Cup.