England Women, the reigning European champions, are gearing up to kick off their Women's World Cup 2023 campaign on Saturday as they face Haiti Women at Brisbane Stadium. This will mark England's fifth appearance in the tournament, while Haiti will be making their debut on the global stage.

As the heavy favourites, England enters the opening group match clash with overwhelming odds in their favour. Betfred places them at # 1/100 for a victory, while Haiti is at 28/1 to produce a shocking upset while a draw stands at 20/1.

In previous World Cup campaigns, the Lionesses fell short of reaching the semi-finals. However, in the last two editions, they managed to make it to the final four, showcasing their progress and determination. Their hopes of lifting the coveted trophy were dashed in the last tournament by a narrow 2-1 defeat to the USA.

Under the astute guidance of Sarina Wiegman, who led the Netherlands to the World Cup final in 2019, England has enjoyed remarkable success. Wiegman boasts an impressive record, with only one loss in her 32 games in charge. She has also steered the team to victory in the European Championships and the Finalissima, solidifying her reputation as a top-class coach.

Throughout their World Cup history, the Lionesses have lost their opening match only once, with two wins and two draws. They are determined to start their campaign on a positive note as they prepare to face Denmark and China in their remaining group stage matches.

On the other hand, Haiti had to navigate through the intercontinental playoffs to secure their spot in the Women's World Cup for the first time in their history. After a hard-fought victory over Senegal in the semi-finals, they clinched a narrow 2-1 win against Chile, earning their ticket to Australia and New Zealand.

Ranked 87th in the FIFA World Rankings, Haiti finds themselves as the lowest-ranked team in Group D, highlighting the challenging task that lies ahead. Their recent form has been less than stellar, with four consecutive defeats, including a 2-1 loss to South Korea in a friendly match earlier this month.

Haiti's primary concern lies in their defense, having conceded 11 goals in their last four games. Tightening up their defensive line will be crucial if they hope to pose a threat to England in their opening match.

As the Women's World Cup commences, all eyes will be on England as they strive to build upon their recent success and make a strong start to their campaign. Meanwhile, Haiti will be eager to make a statement in their debut appearance and defy the odds against a formidable opponent.

Tips

  • Alessia Russo to score two or more goals - 7/4
  • England to win to nil - 2/7
  • England to score over 4.5 goals - 11/10

18+ | Gamble responsibly | begambleaware.org | Odds subject to change

Gamble responsibly

Everyone at The Inside Track and Reach are committed to promoting safer gambling. All of our content and recommended bets are advised to those aged 18 or over. Odds are subject to change too.

We strongly encourage our readers to only ever bet what they can afford to lose. For more information, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or visit begambleaware.org.

READ NEXT: