England vs Nigeria LIVE: Women’s World Cup build-up and team news

Here’s how England will line-up against Nigeria for this last 16 tie:

England XI: Earps; Carter, Bright, Greenwood; Bronze, Walsh, Stanway, Daly; James; Russo, Hemp

Australia captain Sam Kerr has returned to training and expects to make her first Women’s World Cup appearance in Monday’s last 16 tie against Denmark, with coach Tony Gustavsson set to make a late call on whether she starts, and how many minutes she can play.

Kerr, Australia’s all-time leading scorer with 63 goals, injured her left calf on the eve of their World Cup opener against Ireland and sat out all three games in the group stage.

She told Australia’s Channel Nine on Saturday that she “will play” against Denmark, and although coach Gustavsson hinted the striker will play a part, he will leave it late to decide how much she will feature at Stadium Australia.

“We had a nice moment as a team yesterday, to see her back with her boots on and touching the ball and be with the team in training,” Gustavsson said. “It was a very good feeling for her, the players and me.

“She’s a player we’ll talk about tonight to see how many minutes would be suitable, and looking at 90 minutes and potentially extra time, how to get the best out of Sam Kerr in our game plan tomorrow.”

When is Australia vs Denmark?

The co-hosts face Denmark in the last-16 on Monday 7 August, with kick off at 11:30am BST.

It will be shown live in the UK on BBC One, with coverage underway from 11:00am.

Nigeria head coach Randy Waldrum ahead of facing England in the last-16 and the potential return of Keira Walsh:

“Obviously, she’s a key player in the midfield for them. Kind of like we had to do for Australia and Sam Kerr, we had to prepare with and without, we have to do the same.

“England has so many weapons. All of those players are playing all over the world in high-profile settings. There are more that can do damage to us than just her. They’ve given us a lot of challenges to prepare for and it will just be another one if she comes in.

“We have to prepare for both, as a coach I would expect her to go with a back three because they played ever so well like that.

“We also know they’re going to adapt to how they can best play against us so we have to prepare for both situations, that’s what makes the job challenging because we don’t have a lot of time. We’ve tried this week to prepare for both and we’ll see which way they come out.

“[Sarina Wiegman] has done a fantastic job with England, since she took over you can see the progression of the team.

“When I look at a coach and try to analyse, if I don’t know them personally, you look at the team and tell if they have an idea. In their organisation, they look like they have a plan [and] a way they want to play.”

The United States got the result that was coming, but in a manner that no one could have predicted. The USA’s reign of dominance at the Women’s World Cup is over; after two consecutive titles and four overall, they suffered their earliest-ever exit from the competition at the hands of a familiar opponent. After victories over the USA at the previous two Olympics, Sweden struck again. This time it was by the finest of margins, with Lina Hurtig’s winning penalty crossing the line by barely an inch, awarded by VAR amid confusion, madness and heartbreak.

It brought one of the most successful eras in sport to a close. The USA set the standard and led the way at the Women’s World Cup, but now the rest of the world has caught up. Megan Rapinoe could only laugh and then cry, as her penalty was blazed over the bar. Player of the tournament in 2019 and a winner in 2015, her final touch at her final World Cup in 2023 was an ignominious one. Kelley O’Hara, another stalwart of the USA’s golden age, also missed at a crucial moment, setting up Hurtig’s final blow.

England’s Sarina Wiegman is the lone female head coach remaining at the Women’s World Cup after the elimination of South Africa on Sunday, which could bode well for the Lionesses if history is anything to go by.

Twelve of the World Cup’s 32 head coaches were women, including Desiree Ellis, whose Banyana Banyana lost 2-0 to the Netherlands in the round of 16.

Women have, however, been very successful on the global soccer stage. Since 2000, all but one of the major women’s tournaments – the World Cup, European Championship and the Olympics – have been won by female-coached teams, according to the Female Coaching Network.

Norio Sasaki, the man who coached Japan to Women’s World Cup glory in 2011, is the sole exception.

“It’s not a competition of being a female coach,” Wiegman said on the eve of England’s round-of-16 game against Nigeria.

“But of course what we hope . . . is that balance gets right in the future and we are all working on that, at least in England and other countries too to get opportunities, to get more women in the game.

“And, of course, I had hoped that more female coaches would still be in the tournament.”

Millie Bright on England captaincy: ‘I don’t give the orders – everyone has a platform’

For Millie Bright the past few months have been arduous. A knee injury suffered in March threatened her with the possibility facing the same fate as her England teammates who have been forced to remain at home as the Lionesses look for World Cup success in Australia and New Zealand – but she put up with a “brutal” recovery to return in time to captain her country on the biggest stage.

Bright has big shoes to fill. She has not only been tasked with helping to ensure the solidity of England’s defence but she has had to take the armband from Leah Williamson, who was the leader on their European conquest last year but whose ACL injury has kept her out of the squad.

Captaining England at a World Cup sounds like a big ask, but Bright believes the role is far more complex than many may presume it to be. Sarina Wiegman has fostered an openness and desire for debate within the team that has changed the way things operate.

Technically gifted England forward Lauren James has already become one of the breakout stars of the 2023 Women’s World Cup for her thrilling performance against China.

While at times ‘LJ’ has faced criticism for being inconsistent, on the biggest stage she has hit her best form with two goals and three assists in the final group match as England sailed through to the knockout round.

England manager Sarina Wiegman hailed James for doing “special things” during the 6-1 win over China, while the player herself told the TV cameras after the game that the performance was what “dreams are made of”.

But her rise to the top has been an interesting story.

If there is one thing that the Women’s World Cup has shown, it is that being an established side offers little in the way of protection. Germany, Canada and Brazil all have storied pasts and were tipped to go far but faltered at the first hurdle and exited at the group stages. The game has developed, other nations are catching up, and the traditional heavyweights can’t take dominance for granted.

Canada, Olympic champions, were sent packing by Nigeria, who have now booked a last-16 tie with England. They are among a host of teams to have already upset the odds in this tournament, but Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps remains insistent that her side play without fear.

“I don’t think we fear anyone in general anyway,” Earps said, speaking after England beat China 6-1 on Tuesday.

“I think our qualities have shone through in however many months and years we’ve been playing together, so I think we’re in a good spot.”

As the England players have gathered to watch other games in this World Cup, there has been a dawning realisation. This tournament is opening up for them, or at least any elite side that can remain assured. There are one or two, however, expressing a note of caution beyond the potential for complacency. They are telling their teammates it would be entirely in-keeping with this World Cup for there to be a “shock winner”.

England vs Nigeria preview, by Miguel Delaney

England team news ahead of Nigeria clash:

If Keira Walsh does return, Wiegman will have decisions to make after changing formations and switching to a 3-5-2 in the thrashing of China.

If Wiegman does stick with the 3-5-2, Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly could stay at full-back, either side of a back three of Jess Carter, Millie Bright and Alex Greenwood, with Mary Earps in goal.

Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp started as a front two against China and could keep their places ahead both finding the scoresheet in the 6-1 win, while Lauren James is the first name on the teamsheet after her stunning two-goal and three-assist display against China.

If Walsh returns, she will likely take the place of Katie Zelem in midfield, with Georgia Stanway impressing in the number six position in Walsh’s absence.

One thing Wiegman may consider is she has three players, Stanway, Hemp and Greenwood, who are on yellow cards and would miss the quarter-final if they pick up another and England make it there. Yellow cards are not wiped until after the last-16.

Earps; Carter, Bright, Greenwood; Bronze, Walsh, Stanway, Daly; James; Russo, Hemp