England on brink of knockout phase after beating Denmark

Lauren James' stunning early strike secures 1-0 win

Lionesses leave Danes needing a miracle to qualify

England are on the brink of reaching the knockout stages of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup after beating Denmark 1-0 in a crucial Group D match in Sydney on Friday.

Lauren James' stunning early strike proved to be the difference between the two sides, with the Chelsea forward's effort from outside the box leaving Danish goalkeeper Lene Christensen with no chance.

The win leaves England top of Group D with six points from two games, while Denmark are bottom of the group with no points from two games. England will now need just a point from their final group game against Australia on Tuesday to secure their place in the knockout stages, while Denmark will need to beat Australia by a big margin and hope that England lose to Japan.

The match was a closely-fought affair, with both sides having chances to win. Denmark had the better of the chances in the second half, but England goalkeeper Mary Earps was in inspired form, making a number of key saves to keep her side in the lead.

England's win was a deserved one, and they will now be confident of reaching the knockout stages of the tournament. Denmark, meanwhile, will need to produce a miracle if they are to qualify for the next round.