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.
Touchdown in Tokyo but uncertainty reigns over Olympic Games
Writers and journalists from The Independent have arrived in Tokyo ahead of an Olympic Games like no other.
“It has certainly not felt like arriving at a party in full-swing, but nor is this a city recoiling from foreign visitors,” says assistant sports editor Lawrence Ostlere upon his arrival.
“Whether by accident or design, they emit a cautious hope about the fortnight ahead, even if the reality is that most of the local population wanted the Games to be cancelled.
“Now the Games is here a vague and perhaps foolish thought comes to mind: that sport might eventually steal the show. We look forward to tentatively emerging from our hotel rooms to see it.”
More here:
Touchdown in Tokyo but uncertainty reigns over Olympic Games
Our writers are in quarantine waiting for the Games to begin but whether a fully fledged Olympics awaits on the other side is still uncertain
Tokyo Olympics: Team GB shooter Amber Hill withdraws from Games after testing positive for Covid
Team GB’s world No1 skeet shooter Amber Hill said she was “devastated” after she was forced to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics following a positive Covid-19 test.
Hill tested positive in the UK and under government guidance must now isolate at home.
“There are no words to describe how I’m feeling right now,” she said. “After five years of training and preparation, I’m absolutely devastated to say that last night I received a positive Covid-19 test, meaning I’ve had to withdraw from Team GB’s shooting team.
“Although I don’t have any symptoms, I will now isolate as per the Government guidance.
“I would like to wish the best of luck to all of Team GB who are out in Tokyo, especially the shooting team who have supported me massively throughout my career.
GB shooter withdraws from Olympics after testing positive for Covid
Team GB’s world No1 skeet shooter Amber Hill said she was “devastated” after she was forced to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics following a positive Covid-19 test.
‘We got our asses kicked’ - Rapinoe reacts to USA defeat
Megan Rapinoe said there were no excuses after her USA side were comprehensively defeated 3-0 by Sweden in their opening game of the Tokyo Olympics.
The world champions come into the Olympic tournament on the back of a 44-game winning streak but that was shattered by a dominant display from the Swedes in Tokyo.
“We got our asses kicked, didn’t we?” Rapinoe, who was a second half substitute, said. “I think we were a little tight, just a little nervous. Just doing dumb stuff like not passing the ball, not tapping the ball.
“I don’t think we played a very good game and that’s to take nothing away from Sweden, I think they played a great game.
“They found a lot of space in our shape and were able to be very clinical when they got in for the goal and did very well taking their chances. Sometimes I feel like, if ever we lose or tie or anyone gives us a game, it’s unbelievable and that’s really kind of offensive to every other team.
“This is the highest level and these are the best teams in the world, Sweden being one of the best teams ever, certainly in Europe, so if we don’t play well, game in, game out, we’re not going to win these games.”
Team GB ‘make a statement’ in opening win against Chile
Hege Riise was delighted with her side’s performance as Great Britain opened the Olympic Games with a 2-0 win over Chile in the women’s football tournament.
Ellen White grabbed a brace to secure the win but there were encouraging performances all over the pitch as Team GB played their first competitive fixture in nine years.
“I think how we started the game was exceptional,” head coach Riise said. The first 30 minutes was the best we’ve played and we kept it going. It wasn’t pretty for the whole game but fought and managed to get the win that we deserved and we wanted.
“We have been waiting for this game for a long time and were so eager to get started. You can see the energy on the field.
"Getting a good start, getting a win, keeping them away from our goal and scoring two goals, that’s a statement for the next games coming up.”
Marta makes Olympic history in Brazil’s win
Brazil’s Marta became the first footballer to score in five consecutive Olympic Games as her country defeated China 5-0.
The 35-year-old scored twice in the win, which also saw team-mate Formiga become the first women’s football player to compete in seven Olympic Games.
Formiga, 43, has played in every tournament since women’s football was introduced at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Marta is also the only footballer to score in five World Cups.
Tokyo 2020: Every athlete that has tested positive for Covid-19 so far at Olympics
Covid-19 has already made an early impact on athletes at the Olympics with several participants across a number of sports ruled out of competiting in Tokyo due to positive tests.
Here are the athletes who have tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of Tokyo 2020:
Tokyo 2020: Women’s football round up after day one
Hosts Japan salvaged a point against Canada in their opening game of the women’s football tournament, as Mana Iwabuchi scored a 84th-minute equaliser to cancel out Christine Sinclair’s early strike.
Japan play Team GB in their next match on 24 July, who have taken an early lead in Group E.
Sam Kerr was on the scoresheet as Australia began their campaign with a 2-1 win over rivals New Zealand. The Chelsea striker scored the Matildas second goal in the 33rd minute after Tameka Yallop had opened the scoring, before the Ferns pulled one back late on.
The win moves Australia level with Sweden in Group G after they defeated the USA 3-0 in the opening game.
In Group F, Netherlands reached double figures as they thrashed Zambia 10-3. Arsenal striker Vivienne Miedema scored four times while Zambia captain Barbra Banda scored a hat-trick.
Brazil defeated China 5-0 in the other match in that group.
Team GB chief admits Olympics ‘won't be an easy ride’
The head of Team GB’s Olympic campaign in Tokyo has admitted the Games “won’t be an easy ride” after a number of athletes were ruled out due to positive Covid-19 tests.
Mark England, Team GB’s chef de mission, also insisted that any British athlete who has to self-isolate following their arrival in Japan will be able to compete if they produce negative Covid tests.
England was speaking to reporters this morning, before shooter Amber Hill tested positive for Covid-19 while in the UK.
“My message is that Team GB has almost 800 athletes and support staff in the country,” England said. “The athletes are fit, well and healthy. No one in Team GB has tested positive so there should be huge confidence in our Covid mitigating measures. We want everyone back home to buckle up.
“It won’t be an easy ride but it’ll be exciting and fun and there’ll be some memories I’m sure will live long. I’d be pretty confident in 19 days’ time we’ll be celebrating a very very successful campaign for Team GB.”
It has been reported that as few as 30 Team GB athletes will attend Friday’s opening ceremony due to Covid-19 concerns.
Tokyo 2020: First lady Jill Biden to attend opening ceremony
The first lady of the United States Jill Biden will lead an American delegation to the Olympic Games in Tokyo and will attend the opening ceremony on Friday, the White House has said.
Press secretary Jen Psaki said that Biden will be in Tokyo for 48 hours and will cheer on US athletes competing in several events following meetings with Japanese prime minister Yoshihide Suga.
US president Joe Biden will not be attending the Games.
The US team have also announced that basketball player Sue Bird and baseball player Eddy Alvarez will be the country’s flag bearers at Friday’s opening ceremony.
Team USA chiropractor apologises for Covid-Nazi post
A chiropractor for the US wrestling team has apologised after comparing the Covid-19 protocols in place at the Tokyo Olympics to Nazi Germany.
Rosie Gallegos-Main made a post on Facebook and Instagram which read: “We went from ‘Flattening the curve in 14 days’ to ‘Going door-to-door to see your papers’ ... Gotta admit, I did N-A-Z-I that one coming.” Gallegos-Main later deleted the post.
“I will never use this word again in any form that does not have a proper foundation for its usage, such as in a history lesson or in educating people about the past,” she said.
“I’m deeply saddened by this and wish to apologize for my poor judgment and my choice to share this message. I am also sorry that this may have been a distraction for the delegation which should be focused on supporting our athletes to the best of our ability.”
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