Great Britain vs Chile LIVE: Ellen White double earns Team GB victory in Tokyo 2020 opener

Follow all the latest from the Tokyo Games as Team GB kick-off the women’s football against Chile

Olympics chief says Tokyo 2020 ‘will give humanity faith in the future’

Great Britain women begin their campaign at the Tokyo Olympics against Chile with the Games underway in both the football and softball before Friday’s opening ceremony.

The women’s football competition gets under way with Great Britain taking on Chile in Sapporo at 8.30am BST (4.30pm in Japan). Kicking off in Tokyo at 9.30am BST will be the highly anticipated meeting between Sweden, who won silver in Rio losing to Germany in the final, and the reigning world champions USA.

The Games remains on course although the head of the organising committee Toshiro Muto refused to completely rule out a last-minute cancellation amid ongoing concern surrounding Covid-19. “At this point, the coronavirus cases may rise or fall, so we will think about what we should do when the situation arises.”

Follow all the latest news and updates below.

Great Britain vs Chile

• Team GB XI: Roebuck; Bronze, Houghton, Bright, Daly; Walsh, Little, Weir; Stanway, White, Hemp
• Chile XI: Endler; N. Lopez, Pardo, Guerrero, Saez; Zamora, Y. Lopez, Araya, Lara; Urrutia, Aedo

[21 July 2021 08:25 · Jamie Braidwood]

Great Britain vs Chile: A look at today’s opponents

Chile are making their debut in the women’s Olympic tournament but are a football team on the rise. The finished as runners-up at the 2018 Copa America and are at their highest ever position in the world rankings at 37.

Their goalkeeper, Christiane Endler, is the star of the team. She plays for Lyon, one of the strongest sides in the European club game.

[21 July 2021 08:27 · Jamie Braidwood]

Great Britain vs Chile

Time for the anthems! Steph Houghton leads out her team as ‘God Save the Queen’ rings out at the empty Sapporo Dome.

[21 July 2021 08:30 · Jamie Braidwood]

KICK OFF! Great Britain 0-0 Chile

Here we go! Team GB’s Olympic adventure is underway in Japan. The GB players take the knee at kick off.

[21 July 2021 08:32 · Jamie Braidwood]

Great Britain 0-0 Chile

1 min: Ellen White goes down hard after competing for a header. After a moment, she gets up and seems to be OK. Caroline Weir takes the free kick but it’s collected by Endler.

[21 July 2021 08:34 · Jamie Braidwood]

Great Britain 0-0 Chile

3 min: Georgia Stanway, lining up on the right side on GB’s attack, picks up the ball in a dangerous position and sends a low cross into the box, but it’s gathered by Endler.

[21 July 2021 08:36 · Jamie Braidwood]

Great Britain 0-0 Chile

4 min: Another attack comes down the right, this time through Lucy Bronze. She sends in an early ball into the box and it’s met by Caroline Weir, making a late run into the box. She doesn’t make a clean connection with the volley and it’s saved by Endler.

[21 July 2021 08:38 · Jamie Braidwood]

Great Britain 0-0 Chile

5 min: GB win a free kick on the left wing through Lauren Hemp. Weir takes the free-kick but nothing comes of it after Houghton and Bright had made their way into the box. A decent opening five minutes for Team GB.

[21 July 2021 08:43 · Jamie Braidwood]

Great Britain 0-0 Chile

10 min: GB think they’ve taken the lead but it’s disallowed! It comes from a long ball to White, who wins the header and Kim Little picks up the second ball. It’s worked to Stanway who fires a low drive at goal. Endler makes the save but the rebound is tucked in by White, but she was ruled to be a fraction offside. It’s a good decision from the assistant referee.

[21 July 2021 08:46 · Jamie Braidwood]

Great Britain 0-0 Chile

14 min: GB win a corner on the left and look to flood the six yard box. Little’s cross is met by Weir but Chile are able to clear.

[21 July 2021 08:48 · Jamie Braidwood]

GOAL! Great Britain 1-0 Chile (WHITE 17’)

Who else?! It’s Ellen White who scores GB’s opening goal of the Games. Lucy Bronze’s clipped cross to the back post is nodded across goal by Lauren Hemp, and White was waiting to thunder a left-footed finish into the roof of the net from two yards.