Great Britain vs Chile LIVE: Ellen White double earns Team GB victory in Tokyo 2020 opener
Follow all the latest from the Tokyo Games as Team GB kick-off the women’s football against Chile
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Your support makes all the difference.Great Britain women begin their campaign at the Tokyo Olympics against Chile with the Games underway in both the football and softball before Friday’s opening ceremony.
The women’s football competition gets under way with Great Britain taking on Chile in Sapporo at 8.30am BST (4.30pm in Japan). Kicking off in Tokyo at 9.30am BST will be the highly anticipated meeting between Sweden, who won silver in Rio losing to Germany in the final, and the reigning world champions USA.
The Games remains on course although the head of the organising committee Toshiro Muto refused to completely rule out a last-minute cancellation amid ongoing concern surrounding Covid-19. “At this point, the coronavirus cases may rise or fall, so we will think about what we should do when the situation arises.”
Follow all the latest news and updates below.
Great Britain vs Chile: A look at today’s opponents
Chile are making their debut in the women’s Olympic tournament but are a football team on the rise. The finished as runners-up at the 2018 Copa America and are at their highest ever position in the world rankings at 37.
Their goalkeeper, Christiane Endler, is the star of the team. She plays for Lyon, one of the strongest sides in the European club game.
Great Britain vs Chile
Time for the anthems! Steph Houghton leads out her team as ‘God Save the Queen’ rings out at the empty Sapporo Dome.
KICK OFF! Great Britain 0-0 Chile
Here we go! Team GB’s Olympic adventure is underway in Japan. The GB players take the knee at kick off.
Great Britain 0-0 Chile
1 min: Ellen White goes down hard after competing for a header. After a moment, she gets up and seems to be OK. Caroline Weir takes the free kick but it’s collected by Endler.
Great Britain 0-0 Chile
3 min: Georgia Stanway, lining up on the right side on GB’s attack, picks up the ball in a dangerous position and sends a low cross into the box, but it’s gathered by Endler.
Great Britain 0-0 Chile
4 min: Another attack comes down the right, this time through Lucy Bronze. She sends in an early ball into the box and it’s met by Caroline Weir, making a late run into the box. She doesn’t make a clean connection with the volley and it’s saved by Endler.
Great Britain 0-0 Chile
5 min: GB win a free kick on the left wing through Lauren Hemp. Weir takes the free-kick but nothing comes of it after Houghton and Bright had made their way into the box. A decent opening five minutes for Team GB.
Great Britain 0-0 Chile
10 min: GB think they’ve taken the lead but it’s disallowed! It comes from a long ball to White, who wins the header and Kim Little picks up the second ball. It’s worked to Stanway who fires a low drive at goal. Endler makes the save but the rebound is tucked in by White, but she was ruled to be a fraction offside. It’s a good decision from the assistant referee.
Great Britain 0-0 Chile
14 min: GB win a corner on the left and look to flood the six yard box. Little’s cross is met by Weir but Chile are able to clear.
GOAL! Great Britain 1-0 Chile (WHITE 17’)
Who else?! It’s Ellen White who scores GB’s opening goal of the Games. Lucy Bronze’s clipped cross to the back post is nodded across goal by Lauren Hemp, and White was waiting to thunder a left-footed finish into the roof of the net from two yards.
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