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England’s Lionesses have reached the knock-out stages of the Women’s World Cup after a dominant 6-1 win against China in Adelaide.

The European champions needed just a point against the Women’s Asian Cup winners to clinch top spot in Group D.

But they settled nerves early on in the match when Alessia Russo hooked in the opener after just four minutes.

Alessia Russo put England in the lead after just four minutes
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Alessia Russo put England in front after just four minutes

Lauren Hemp added a second 26 minutes in, before Lauren James scored her second curled wonder goal of the World Cup to make it 3-0 before half-time.

James thought she had added a fourth with another beautifully placed long-range strike before the break.

However, the referee ruled it out after a review.

VAR punished England again after half-time, when China were awarded a penalty.

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The Lionesses conceded for the first time in the tournament after Lucy Bronze appeared to handle the ball and was given a yellow card after the review.

Wang Shuang pulled one back for China from the spot to give the Chinese hope, as the Lionesses let their lead slip to 3-1.

China's Wang Shuang scores their side's first goal of the game from the penalty spot
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China’s Wang Shuang scores their side’s first goal of the game from the penalty spot

But another stunning James strike restored a three-goal cushion for England.

There was no denying the Chelsea forward her second goal of the game, as she produced a sublime first-time side-footed volley into the far corner of the net.

And Euros hero Chloe Kelly pounced on a goalkeeping error by Zhu Yu to make it five.

England's Chloe Kelly celebrates scoring their fifth goal
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England’s Chloe Kelly celebrates scoring their fifth goal

Rachel Daly rounded off the scoring to make it 6-1 in a thumping England win.

James was denied her hat-trick when England boss Sarina Wiegman took her off with 10 minutes to go – presumably with an eye on the next round.

The double goalscorer said: “It’s what dreams are made of. Happy for the team and everyone is buzzing and looking forward to going into the next round.

“I felt free, whether I am on the wing or in the middle, I am just happy to be on the pitch playing and enjoying my football. I am happy I can contribute to goals as well.”

On her stunning first-time finish at the far post, she added: “I think like the last game, I just thought ‘Why not? Hit it and see what happens’.”

And she said more is to come, adding: “For sure, each day, each game I am looking to improve and get better, there are many more years of improvement, I can always get better. I just need to stay focused and hopefully that can happen.”

James volleys in her second - and England's fourth goal
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James volleys in her second – and England’s fourth goal

Manager Wiegman made three changes to her Lionesses starting line-up – with Katie Zelem starting in the World Cup for the first time, and Jess Carter and Hemp returning to the starting XI.

Five players that lifted last year’s Euros were unavailable for the showdown with China.

But England weren’t fazed and delivered their most assured performance of the tournament so far.

Wiegman said afterwards: “I am very delighted, I said before the game we were going to do things a little bit different than we did before and we did really well, it shows how adaptive this team is and I think they are enjoying themselves.

“I think today it worked really well, players felt comfortable. What we want is the qualities we have now to try and use them a little bit more.”

On James’s performance, Wiegman added: “She feels good, you can tell, she did special things today. Unfortunately one goal was cancelled, but she flows over the pitch.”

Wiegman tight-lipped on Walsh

The Lionesses booked their place in the last 16 without key midfielder Keira Walsh, who was ruled out of at least this clash with an undisclosed knee problem after an injury in the last match against Denmark.

Wiegman was non-committal when asked before the game whether Walsh would be able to play any further part in the tournament.

Walsh was stretchered off in the first half of England’s match against Denmark in Sydney on Friday with what appeared to be a serious knee injury, although scans have since shown the 26-year-old has not suffered an ACL injury as first feared.

“Keira is okay. It’s not an ACL. I can’t give you any more information,” Wiegman said.

“It’s not nice to lose players. First of all for them, and second for the team, but we are here to move on.

“It’s part of sport, it’s not nice, but we have to move on, to adapt to the new situation and find a way, and bring 11 players on the pitch with whom we think can win the game.”

Sarina Wiegman waves to England fans at the Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Australia, after her side reach the last 16 of the World Cup
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England boss Sarina Wiegman waves to England fans at the Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Australia, after her side reach the last 16 of the World Cup

Read more:
How China v England unfolded

What next for England?

The fourth-ranked Lionesses defeated Haiti 1-0 in their opener, and Denmark 1-0 in the second group game of the tournament.

Group winners and runners-up progress to the last 16.

By winning their group, England have secured a knock-out tie against Nigeria on Monday – avoiding hosts Australia.

The next round of knock-out stage fixtures will take place from 5 to 8 August.

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Mohamed al Fayed: Former royal security head says he warned Royal Family before Diana went on holiday with businessman

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Mohamed al Fayed: Former royal security head says he warned Royal Family before Diana went on holiday with businessman

The former head of royal protection says he warned the Royal Family about Mohamed al Fayed’s reputation before Princess Diana took her sons on holiday with him.

The former Harrods owner, who died last year at the age of 94, was described as a “monster” earlier this week by lawyers representing 37 alleged sexual abuse victims.

The women say he raped and sexually assaulted them while they worked at the luxury department store, prowling the shop floor and “cherry-picking” women to be brought to his executive suite.

Now, Mr Davies says people were aware of the Egyptian businessman’s reputation as far back as the 1990s, and that he raised concerns about him to the Royal Family.

Princess Diana on the quay of the residence of Mohamed Al Fayed in Saint Tropez on 20 July 1997. File pic: AP
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Princess Diana on the quay of the residence of Mohamed al Fayed in Saint Tropez on 20 July 1997. File pic: AP

“This was a man who I would be concerned [about] if a relative of mine was going on holiday with him, let alone the future king and his brother and their mother, Princess Diana,” Dai Davies told Sky News.

Fulham's owner Mohammed Al Fayed during the Barclays Premier League match at Craven Cottage stadium, London. Saturday January 12, 2013.
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Mohamed al Fayed during a match at Craven Cottage stadium in 2013: File pic: PA

In July 1997, a month before she died, Princess Diana went on holiday with Fayed and his wife to their residence in St Tropez.

She took the two young princes with her – a holiday Prince Harry described as “heaven” in his 2023 memoir Spare.

“I was horrified because I was aware of some of the allegations even then that were going around,” said Mr Davies.

“I was aware that he had tried very hard to ingratiate himself with the Royal Family and obviously knowing, as I did, the reputation he was alleged [to have] then, I was concerned, and I took the opportunity to inform the Royal Family.”

Princess Diana, Prince William (right) and Prince Harry (left) in Saint Tropez on 14 July 1997. File pic: AP
Image:
Princess Diana, Prince William (right) and Prince Harry (left) in Saint Tropez on 14 July 1997. File pic: AP

Mr Davies says he was told: “Her Majesty is aware.”

“The rest is history,” he said.

Buckingham Palace told Sky News it had no comment on the allegations.

Fulham ‘deeply disturbed’ by allegations

Fulham FC, a football club that was owned by Fayed between 1997 and 2013, has said it is “deeply troubled” by the dozens of “disturbing” sexual abuse allegations against the businessman.

The Premier League club also said it is “in the process of establishing whether anyone at the club is or has been affected” by this alleged behaviour.

Mohamed al Fayed waves a Fulham scarf in front of supporters in 2012. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Mohamed al Fayed waves a Fulham scarf in front of supporters in 2012. Pic: Reuters

However, Gaute Haugenes, who managed the club’s women’s team between 2001 and 2003, told the BBC extra precautions were taken to protect female players from Fayed.

“We were aware he liked young, blonde girls. So we just made sure that situations couldn’t occur. We protected the players.”

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‘The door was locked behind me’

A former Harrods employee told Sky News she was summoned to Fayed’s apartment when she began working for the department store at 19 years old.

She was told the meeting was a “job review” before “the door was locked behind me”.

“I saw his bedroom door partially open – there were sex toys on view,” she said.

“I felt petrified. I perched myself at the very end of the sofa and then… my boss, the person I worked for, pushed himself onto me.”

Read more: ‘One of the worst cases of corporate sexual exploitation’

Harrods said in a statement on Thursday it was “utterly appalled” by the allegations of abuse and apologised to Fayed’s alleged victims.

The department store has also set up a page on its website inviting former employees to come forward if they have allegations.

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The legal team involved in a civil claim against Harrods for allegedly failing to provide a safe system of work for its employees said they aimed to seek justice for the victims of a “vast web of abuse”.

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Lily Allen says she had her children for ‘all the wrong reasons’

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Lily Allen says she had her children for 'all the wrong reasons'

Lily Allen says she had her children “for all the wrong reasons,” at a “high pressure” point in her career when she felt “overwhelmed”.

The singer and actress had her two daughters, Marnie, 12 and Ethel, 11, with her ex-husband Sam Cooper when she was in her mid-20s.

By the time she became a mum, she’d already had hit singles including Smile and The Fear, released two studio albums and received a Brit Award for best British female solo artist.

Speaking about motherhood on the BBC podcast Miss Me?, which Allen hosts with her long-time friend Miquita Oliver, she said: “I think I had children for all the wrong reasons, really.

“Because I was yearning for unconditional love, which I haven’t felt in my life since I was a child.”

The now 39-year-old star added: “And also, my career was at such high speed, high pressure, and I felt like very overwhelmed by what was happening. I just didn’t get much respite you know?

“And I felt like the only way to stop people hassling me was to say, ‘It’s not about me, actually this is about this other person that’s inside me’.

When asked by Oliver if it worked, Allen says: “Yeah, they did leave me alone. I don’t think I really understood what was happening, what I got myself into.”

The daughter of actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen, she went on to discuss her own childhood.

“My mum, bless her, had children really early as well, and she really struggled. But she doesn’t really talk about the struggle. And so… She inadvertently gaslit me into thinking it was, you know, easy.

“You just sort of throw the kid over your shoulder and you get on with it.

“Her job was very static, and in one place and went to an office and mine wasn’t like that at all. It wasn’t easy. It just wasn’t easy.”

Lily Allen is married to Stranger Things star David Harbour
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Allen is married to Stranger Things star David Harbour

The ‘nasty scars’ caused by absent parents

Allen previously told the Radio Times podcast that while she loves her children, having them “ruined her career”.

She said her decision to prioritise them over her pop career was a decision she made so as not to inflict the “nasty scars” of being an “absent” parent onto them.

She also said the myth of having it all “really annoyed” as it simply was not true.

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Allen, whose younger brother is Game Of Thrones actor Alfie Allen, married Stranger Things star David Harbour in 2020.

Away from her music career, Allen has branched out into acting over the last few years, starring in two plays in London’s West End, and winning a role in Sky drama Dreamland last year.

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Investigation launched into ‘Jail Starmer’ graffiti at MP’s office

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Investigation launched into 'Jail Starmer' graffiti at MP's office

An investigation has been launched after “Jail Starmer” graffiti was daubed on the window of an MP’s office.

The Met Police received an allegation of criminal damage on Saturday in relation to the incident at Clive Efford’s office in Eltham & Chislehurst, South London.

This is a new seat which was won by Labour at the general election, though in 2019 it was notionally Conservative.

On Friday night the window was painted with white graffiti which says “Jail Starmer”.

Sources told Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby that an image of the vandalism has been circulating among Labour MPs’ WhatsApp groups this morning. However, Mr Efford has downplayed the incident.

There have been growing concerns about the safety of politicians in recent years, following the murders of Jo Cox and Sir David Amess.

MPs have described working in an increasingly hostile environment, with experiences ranging from death threats and abuse to attacks on their constituency offices and protests at their homes.

More on Sir Keir Starmer

Ahead of the general election, Tory MP Mike Freer stepped down over concerns for his personal safety, saying an arson attack on his constituency office was the final straw.

The latest incident comes as the Labour Party Conference is about to kick off in Liverpool.

It is the first time in 15 years the event has been held while the party is in government.

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In a statement, the Met Police said: “On Saturday 21, September, police received an allegation of criminal damage to an office building in Westmount Road SE9.

“Graffiti had been daubed on the premises the previous day.

“An investigation has been launched and enquiries are ongoing.

“Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 2672/21Sep.”

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