Here is Suzanne Wrack’s report. Bye.
Ellen White is focused on discussing momentum, which the win gives them going into the Spain game.
“It’s about a cleansheet and a win for us.”
Neville says there’s been a lack of respect for Ellen White in recent days, adding that Beth England was fantastic in the first-half.
Neville thinks winning will bring greater togetherness for England.
He does admit that England’s failure to take more chances was frustrating.
How to finish ...
This is how the Lionesses took the lead!
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 8, 2020
Japan 0-1 England
Live on @BBCFOUR and online here ➡️ https://t.co/IxgXaNL0yQ#bbcfootball #SheBelievesCup pic.twitter.com/1yUxhZgENb
Full-time: Japan 0-1 England
There is no doubting that England were the better team for the majority of the game even though they never really got going. Beth England diid a good job up top but her poor finishing could have cost England. White came on and scored with her chance. It helped that Japan were pretty poor opposition, rarely testing Roebuck and even then it was from distance, eventually gifting England the goal.
Hopefully, Neville has learned something about his team but I am not particularly sure what.
90 mins: Three minutes added on.
89 mins: Parris lifts in a cross to Duggan who fails to get a shot on target from a good position, due to poor control.
87 mins: What has Neville found out tonight? Mainly that White needs to be his main forward and she is the best finisher by far.
85 mins: Duggan cuts in from the right and whacks a fearsome shot across goal but Ikeda gets down well and holds on.
GOAL! Japan 0-1 England (White, 83)
Some utterly incompetent passing from Japan, sees the ball played straight to Duggan 20 yards from goal, she crosses for White who slots it into the corner. Finally some decent finishing!
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81 mins: Duggan is taken down after playing a through ball to earn England a free-kick 30 yards from goal. Staniforth lifts in the free-kick but it is cleared.
79 mins: There have been a lot of subs and it has had a negative impact on the quality of the match.
77 mins: Parris is up and fine.
75 mins: Staniforth’s free-kick is headed out to Nobbs 25 yards from goal but her first-time shot heads into orbit.
Parris goes down in her own half and lets out a horrendous scream - she is not getting up.
73 mins: Nakajima sends a corner towards the box but it goes straight out of play.
Mary Waltz provides some analysis: “Phil, keep your attack going towards Endo. She looks out of place at her position.”
71 mins: Ueki cuts in from the left and tries to curl a shot into the top corner but the shot has absolutely no pace on it and Roebuck catches it without fuss.
69 mins: Nobbs plays an ambitious cross for England but it is a little bit in front of her and the striker has to chase it down, before playing it back.
That’s England’s last action and is being replaced by White. Staniforth is also coming on for Stanway, who did not have her best game.
67 mins: Williamson has slotted in front of the back four, where Walsh was playing. She operated there for Arsenal last week. Due to her being excellent on the ball, she could fit the role perfectly but would be a loss at centre-back.
65 mins: England have been playing at a higher tempo since making the changes but need to make an impact where it matters soon.
63 mins: Duggan chips the free-kick top to the back of the box for Houghton to volley at goal but she only succeeds in hitting it straight up in the air.
61 mins: Oh, it is time for subs. Walsh, Hemp and Kelly are replaced by Duggan, Parris and Williamson.
Parris makes an immediate impact by bursting past Sugita who drags her down to stop the winger getting into the box.
59 mins: England play a short corner, which is eventually lifted into the box but the header is straight at the goalkeeper.
Time for a sub or two, Phil?
57 mins: England is played through once again and beats the goalkeeper to the ball but then miss-controls it and Ikeda collects. Not the day England was hoping for, especially after her two goals in the Continental Cup final last week. She has played well until finding a decent finish.
55 mins: Kelly goes into the book for cleaning out Nakajima when trying to prevent giving Japan a goal kick.
53mins: The mistakes keep on coming. Hopefully the errors will stop and a good game will break out soon.
Updated
51 mins: England earn a corner, which Kelly lifts straight into the arms of the goalkeeper.
49 mins: England fail to clear a free-kick, allowing Japan to come back at them but Momiki’s shot goes well over the bar from 20 yards.
Sugita the ball 30 yards from and England gets the ball in the area but her shot is blocked.
47 mins: The main difference so far is that even more of the pitch is covered in shade. It would be very helpful if the England players could put bibs on.
Second half
Here we go again!
One missed chance ...
The Lionesses have a great chance early on.
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 8, 2020
Live on @BBCTwo and online here ➡️ https://t.co/IxgXaNL0yQ#bbcfootball #SheBelievesCup pic.twitter.com/VS5R4lcCAf
There are no shortage of attacking potions on the bench for England. Maybe could see Ellen White come on to show some composure in front of goals.
Some halftime reading ...
Half-time: Japan 0-0 England
If England had shown a degree of composure they would be ahead. Sadly, their finishing has been pretty poor.
Not much to write home about in general.
45 mins: Japan finally make their sub as Endo comes on for Shimizu.
44 mins: Mary Waltz emails in: “It hasn’t paid off yet but I love Hemp’s aggression as he weaved her way down the flanks at a full sprint.. She seems fearless with the ball at her feet.”
42 mins: Shimizu tries to walk around to prove she can carry on but she does not look comfortable and a sub is being prepared.
40 mins: Shimizu is down in pain after performing a fine tackle on Kelly in the box, allowing everyone to have a little breather. She seems to have knacked her ankle.
38 mins: Daly takes the ball forward and lays it off to Nobbs who decides that is the right moment to fall over.
A long ball is played into the channel for Tanaka, who controls it gets it out of her feet and fires at the near post but Roebucks reads it well and palms it wide.
36 mins: The game has slowed down a little bit more as both teams looks to take control but fail.
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34 mins: Obviously, this is all quite confusing with England having a striker named England but you’ll just have to stick with me.
A ball is lifted over the top for Tanaka to chase but Bright uses her strength to stop the Japan player reaching the pass and Roebuck comes out to collect.
32 mins: England get the advantage when Kelly is taken out of the halfway line. Nobbs takes the ball forward and slips it into England, who fires a shot across goal but Ikeda stops it with her feet. Far more like it from England.
Phil Neville now shouting: “Love it! Love it! Love it!”
30 mins: There has not been much rhyme or reason to much happening on the pitch. England have been very sloppy and a bit slow in possession but have still created a few fine chances that should have been taken.
28 mins: Another mistake in the middle of the park, this time from England, allows Tanaka to dribble at the defence and fire a shot from 20 yards, which is deflected wide.
26 mins: Nobbs releases England down the right, she holds it up, before playing it inside to Stanway who cuts inside but her shot from the edge of the box is blocked.
It is very quiet inside the stadium, so much so one can hear Phil Neville’s instructions, including “Jump Jordan, jump!”.
24 mins: Jordan Nobbs tells the assistant referee to “fuck off” after being adjudged to be offside. Unfortunately, for Nobbs, she was very much offside.
Updated
22 mins: England very much focused on the slow buildup here and it really is not working. They need to up the tempo or Japan will get on top of them here.
20 mins: Passing the ball around the back four and goalkeeper is a lovely plan but when it results in a panicked long ball to no one, it really is a waste of time. There are three central midfielders for England who have barely had a kick.
18 mins: Nakajima whips in a corner from the left, Roebuck comes to bunch but completely misses it, which won’t do much for her confidence. Hemp is waiting behind her and whacks it clear, to relief of all in red.
16 mins: Nobbs lifts in a delicious cross to the back post for Hemp to attack but Shimizu positions herself well and flicks it clear.
14 mins: Another poor finish means the scores are still level. A mistake from Japan allows England to run through the middle, until one-on-one with Ikeda but she hits it straight at the goalkeeper who palms it away. England should be two goals ahead already.
12 mins: Japan look the more comfortable with the ball at their feet and are controlling possession as England chance shadows. Some find buildup play is ruined by Shimizu whacking a shot from 25 yards out high and into the stands.
10 mins: Roebuck gets down superbly to her left to palm Sugita’s low drive from 25 yards onto the post and away for a corner.
Not particularly surprising, but the ground in New Jersey is very quiet. Japan and England not a significant draw in USA.
8 mins: A long ball from Japan is headed down by Houghton but straight into the path of Tanaka who whacks her shot a long way over the bar from 20 yards. Houghton really needs to be more decisive when clearing the ball.
6 mins: England are trying to pass the ball out of the back, but are struggling to get it into midfield, as play keeps breaking down before it really gets going.
4 mins: Hemp should have put England ahead. England does well to snatch the ball in the middle of the park and play Hemp through after getting the better of a defender but when one-on-one her shot is tame and diverted wide.
2 mins: Japan’s kit is pretty loud and there is a lot of shade covering the pitch, which is not helping the view in certain areas.
England have made a few sloppy passes in the opening stages. Both teams need to sharpen up here.
Kick-off!
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
The teams are coming out onto the pitch. Japan’s players are all wearing massive coats. How cold is it there?
Updated
Supposedly, we should have kicked off by now but instead we’re looking at people in the stands. Hurry up, people!
More Hemp ...
Roebuck is in goal today. And our very own Rachel Brown-Finnis says she should be England’s No 1. Will she prove it today?
Neville says he wants his team to be on the front foot today against Japan and the energy and pace of his front three, in addition to the midfielders can give them the requisite thrust.
England’s best player, Lucy Bronze, is missing the tournament, which is a huge blow for Neville. On the upside, it is intriguing to see how they cope without her at right-back. Daly is given the job today, as Neville wants someone who can get forward in a similar man to Bronze.
A chance to shine for Beth England.
Startling lineups
England: Roebuck, Daly, Houghton, Bright, Stokes, Walsh, Nobbs, Stanway, Kelly, England, Hemp
Japan: Ikeda, Shimizu, Mayo, Miyagawa, Miyake, Miura, Sugita, Iwabuchi, Nakajima, Momiki, Tanaka
Preamble
Good evening!
England are looking to bounce back from defeat to USA in their opening fixture against Japan. Beth England gets her chance to impress up top for England and will be aiming to build on her Chelsea form at international level.
Japan also started with defeat, downed by Spain in their opening fixture, so there will be plenty of wound licking in New Jersey tonight, as both teams look to get their campaign going.
Let’s hope for a fine game.
Here is some pre-match reading:
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