PERTH, Australia (AP) — Amalie Vangsgaard scored in the 90th minute as Denmark beat China 1-0 at the Women’s World Cup on Saturday.
Substitute Vangsgaard rose to head home at the end of a game of few chances to see the Danes go level with European champions England at the top of Group D.
England beat Haiti 1-0 earlier in the day and will play Denmark next.
Sophia Smith is among 14 players on the U.S. national team who are playing in their first Women’s World Cup.
England has beaten Haiti 1-0 on a retaken penalty from Georgia Stanway in a difficult Women’s World Cup opener for the European champions against a team on debut at the tournament.
Hinata Miyazawa scored a pair of goals and Mina Tanaka and Jun Endo each added a goal and an assist as Japan beat Zambia 5-0 to open Women’s World Cup play for both sides.
Josefine Hasbo had looked like blowing Denmark’s chance of victory after missing a golden opportunity to score early in the second half, when heading over with an open goal to aim at.
KEY MOMENTS
Vangsgaard’s strike settled a cagey game, that looked destined to end goalless, with a powerful header after Pernille Harder’s cross. It was the first headed goal of this World Cup.
It was a cruel way for China to lose after stifling the Danes with its disciplined defense. Denmark failed to register a single shot on target in the first half, while China managed just one when Zhang Linyan forced a save from the edge of the box.
China substitute Wang Shuang was denied by Lene Christensen at the start of the second half.
WHY IT MATTERS
Denmark celebrated joyously after the late winner, which could prove crucial to its hopes of advancing to the round of 16. Haiti pushed England all the way in a narrow 1-0 loss to suggest it could provide a tough test for the other teams in Group D at its first appearance at the World Cup.
WHAT’S NEXT
Denmark plays England in Sydney on July 28 and China travels to Adelaide to face Haiti on the same day.
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More AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup
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