England vs Scotland result: Lionesses open Women's World Cup 2019 with hard-fought win
England's 2019 Women's World Cup opener ended in victory
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Your support makes all the difference.England opened their 2019 Women's World Cup campaign with a hard-fought win over Scotland in Nice.
Expectations are high for Phil Neville's Lionesses after a successful run up to the finals including victory in the SheBelieves Cup back in March but they didn't have it all their own way against the Scots.
Nikita Parris opened the scoring from the spot before Ellen White doubled the lead just before the break. Claire Emslie grabbed one back to make it a nervy finish but Phil Neville's team got over the line to take the three points.
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England 1-0 Scotland, 37 minutes
Beth Mead drives at Sophie Howard, who jockeys nicely, showing her the line and then sliding the ball away with a well-timed tackle. Corner, though.
Lee Alexander makes a hash of the delivery and is fortunate to receive a free kick for, literally, punching Jill Scott's head.
GOAL! England 2-0 Scotland (Ellen White, 40 minutes)
Scotland fail to clear, and Ellen White has her goal!
England pass, pass, and pass again around the edge of the box, giving the ball away perhaps thrice but Scotland failing to get the ball way.
Fran Kirby somehow stays on her feet despite a knee-high connection and squirms the ball into White's path, who clinically finds the corner from 15 yards-or-so past Lee Alexander's despairing dive.
England 2-0 Scotland, 42 minutes
Huge chance!
From nowhere, a loose touch from Keira Walsh on the edge of the box allows Erin Cuthbert free run at a free ball with Karen Bardsley away from the centre of goal awaiting a pass, and Cuthbert should perhaps find the corner, striking the ball well but directing it two yards wide.
A let-off for England.
England 2-0 Scotland, 43 minutes
Jennifer Beattie is the first woman in the book. Nikita Parris is too quick for the centre-half as she lumbers across to try and stop her path.
Chance to deliver for England...
England 2-0 Scotland, 44 minutes
Beth Mead crosses, a flighted out swinger that catches the goalkeeper out and is squeezed awkwardly out of play via arm and thigh of Sophie Howard.
No VAR check. Just a corner.
England 2-0 Scotland, 45 minutes
England fail to profit from the corner, and up goes the board signalling TWO additional minutes.
England 2-0 Scotland, 45 + 1 minutes
More space down the right, another England corner.
Scotland aren't widening particularly well defensively.
England 2-0 Scotland, 45 + 2 minutes
The corner is cleared, the follow-up rattled way over the bar, and that'll do us for the half...
That second goal has added the gloss on an all-around strong half from England, deservedly ahead and looking in control, particularly potent down the right flank and starting to really dominate.
Scotland have faded after a bright start, failing to get Erin Cuthbert into the game and losing the midfield battle. A VAR-awarded penalty sorely disrupted them, and it looks a tough ask to get back amongst things from here.
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