We look ahead to this 2023 Women’s World Cup Group D fixture at Lang Park, Brisbane with our England vs Haiti preview and prediction.
England vs Haiti Stats: Quick Hits
- England are made overwhelming favourites to win this match against Haiti, with a 93.7% chance of an opening game victory according to the Opta supercomputer.
- The Lionesses have won just two of their five previous opening games at World Cups (D2 L1).
- Haiti will be making their first World Cup appearance and could become the first CONCACAF side since USA in 1991 to win their debut match.
Match Preview
The European champions are set to begin their quest to add the World Cup to their trophy cabinet, and start with a clash against tournament debutants, Haiti. Should Sarina Wiegman’s side manage to go all the way, they will become only the second team – after Germany in 2003 and 2007 – to win the Women’s World Cup as reigning European champions.
This will be the first ever encounter between these two nations. The Lionesses have never lost a group stage game against a CONCACAF side at the Women’s World Cup (W2 D1), though did concede in all three of those games.
This is England’s fifth Women’s World Cup in a row, and sixth overall. They will be hoping to keep up recent performances as one of only three teams – along with USA and Germany – to reach the quarter-finals in each of the last four tournaments, and one of two – with the USA – to reach the semi-finals in the last two.
Only Steph Houghton (1,290) has played more minutes at the last two Women’s World Cups than England’s Lucy Bronze (1,180). The Barcelona right-back recorded 691 touches in the 2019 tournament, which was more than any other player, with 431 made under pressure from opponents, also the most of anyone.
Haiti are one of eight teams making their World Cup debut at this year’s tournament and qualified by beating Senegal and then Chile in the Inter-Confederation play-offs. Daelle Dumornay – also known as ‘Corventina’ – will be one to watch after she scored both goals in the win over Chile.
Nicolas Delépine’s side will try to become the first CONCACAF team to win a match in its first appearance at the Women’s World Cup since the USA won all six games in the first ever tournament in 1991. Since then, four CONCACAF teams have managed a combined record of just three draws and nine losses in their first World Cup appearances.
England vs Haiti Head-to-Head
As mentioned, these two have never played each other.
England have won just one of their last eight games against CONCACAF nations in all competitions (D2 L5). Their only victory came in their last experience of facing such opposition (2-1 vs USA in October 2022).
England vs Haiti Prediction
England are the clear favourites for this one as the reigning European champions and one of the favourites to go all the way in Australia and New Zealand. They may have a few star players missing through injury but the Opta supercomputer still believe they will easily overcome the debutants. England are handed a 93.7% chance of success on Saturday.
Should they take the lead, they should be fine. England have never lost when scoring the first goal in a Women’s World Cup game (W13 D2) and have won their last nine games in the competition when scoring the opener.
Haiti are not arriving in great form. They have played four games in the last month and lost them all. Three in the Central American and Caribbean Games against Guatemala (3-1), Venezuela (4-1) and Costa Rica (2-0), and also in a warm-up friendly against South Korea (2-1). That, coupled with their inexperience in the World Cup, probably explains why they are handed just an 2% chance of victory. A draw is given a 4.3% chance.
England vs Haiti Squads
England: Mary Earps, Lucy Bronze, Niamh Charles, Keira Walsh, Alex Greenwood, Millie Bright, Lauren James, Georgia Stanway, Rachel Daly, Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, Jordan Nobbs, Hannah Hampton, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Esme Morgan, Jess Carter, Laura Coombs, Chloe Kelly, Bethany England, Katie Zelem, Ellie Roebuck, Katie Robinson, Alessia Russo.
Haiti: Kerly Théus, Chelsea Surpris, Jennyfer Limage, Tabita Joseph, Maudeline Moryl, Melchie Dumornay, Batcheba Louis, Danielle Étienne, Sherly Jeudy, Nérilia Mondésir, Roseline Éloissaint, Nahomie Ambroise, Betina Petit-Frère, Esthericove Joseph, Darlina Joseph, Milan Pierre-Jérôme, Shwendesky Joseph, Noa Ganthier, Dayana Pierre-Louis, Kethna Louis, Ruthny Mathurin, Roselord Borgella, Lara Larco.
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