England Women v Denmark Women predictions and Women's World Cup betting tips: Lionesses to edge home

Where to watch

England Women v Denmark Women
BBC One, 9.30am Friday

China Women v Haiti Women
ITV1, midday Friday

Best bets

England to win & under 3.5 goals
2pts 20-23 BoyleSports

Women's World Cup Friday predictions

England began their Women's World Cup campaign with a rather underwhelming 1-0 win over Haiti on Saturday but results are king in tournament football and the Lionesses can grind out another victory over Denmark in Sydney.

The Danes are considered England's toughest opponents in Group D and also started their World Cup bid with a 1-0 win against China.

England's narrow victory over Haiti raised a few eyebrows as many expected them to blow their Caribbean counterparts away but all that will matter to Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman is that her side can close in on a last-16 spot with a win, while three points would make certain of qualification should China and Haiti draw in Friday's later contest. 

It is also worth remembering that England's exceptional Euro 2022 campaign, which concluded with them beating Germany in the final at Wembley, began with a tempered 1-0 triumph over Austria.

They have still lost just one of their 33 games under Wiegman, who said she is open to making changes for the Denmark match and can guide her team to victory.

The Danes may have won last time out but the victory over China was a cagey affair and they were reliant on a 90th-minute strike from Amalie Vangsgaard to win the match.

Their only warm-up contest for the Women's World Cup ended in a 2-0 defeat to Spain and they crashed out in the group stage at Euro 2022, scoring only once in three matches.

England are trying to find a winning formula up top in the absence of Euro 2022 top scorer Beth Mead, who is injured and out of the tournament, and it remains to be seen whether Wiegman will stick with Alessia Russo up front or opt for Women's Super League top scorer Rachel Daly.

Either way, England fans should not expect fireworks and another low-scoring win could be on the cards with a Lionesses victory and under 3.5 goals the way to go in the betting.

Group D's other fixture between China and Haiti takes place later in the day and it would be no surprise if goals were also at a premium in Adelaide.

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