Live Coverage: England vs. USA - Women's World Cup semi-final

Fans will be watching with bated breath this evening as England take on the USA for a place in the Women’s World Cup final.

The Lionesses will be in the final for the first time if they can get past the defending champions at Lyon’s Groupama Stadium.

Speaking ahead of the semi-final, coach Phil Neville said: “What I want my players to do is realise they are so close and that we have to go out there and deliver. Losing in a semi-final will mean nothing to me. We have to win.

Here’s the latest as England go for glory:

5.45pm

The Archbishoph of York is praying for the Lionesses:

5.35pm

American fans outnumbered the English by a large margin at the fan park in Lyon – with many oozing confidence it would be their side triumphant.

The Santa Clara University Women’s Soccer team travelled from the Bay Area of California to France to follow the tournament.

Player Courney Ogren, 21, predicted a 3-0 win for the United States with two goals for Alex Morgan and one for Carli Lloyd.

“We have just grown up watching the team and seen them progress, even throughout this World Cup getting better and better every game,” she said.

Teammate Sofia Jones, 20, added: “I think that France was their first really big challenge and I think they stepped up, they handled the insane atmosphere and they came out with a win.”

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5.20pm

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has called on the FA and Premier League to invest more in grassroots girls’ football, and urged the Government to ensure future Women’s World Cup finals were available on free-to-air television.

In a post on Facebook, he said: “This evening a predicted 10 million women, girls, men and boys will be cheering on the Lionesses in the World Cup semi-final against favourites America – another record-breaking TV audience for women’s football.

“We must ensure this explosive interest in the women’s game is matched by a huge investment by the FA and Premier League at the grassroots, allowing millions more girls the opportunity to play the beautiful game.

“Government can also show its commitment – before the pay-TV brigade try to turn it into a huge money-spinner – by pledging to place the Women’s World Cup on the “crown jewels” list of free-to-air sport.

“On behalf of the Labour party I have already announced that we will do so. And today I am calling on my opposite number DCMS Secretary Jeremy Wright to join me and make the same pledge to protect this wonderful celebration of women’s football for the nation.”

5.10pm

Prime Minister Theresa May sent a message to the England team via Twitter:

5pm

4.50pm

Neither side wanted to be outdone in the face-painting stakes

4.45pm

Young footballer Beth Boyes, nine, from Lewes, said the Lionesses’ performances have been “inspiring”.

“I’ve never really seen England play and it’s a semi-final,” she said while visiting the fan park in Lyon with her family.

“They’ve played really well and they’ve just been inspiring.

“I like Beth Mead and Alex Greenwood. I play for Lewes FC juniors (in) left midfield.”

Asked for her match prediction, she said: “I’m not really sure – but 2-1 to England.”

Her dad James Boyes, 48, said: “It’s great to see the game developing. Now we’ve got a little one that plays as well and she’s really passionate about football at such a young age as well.”

He said it was “about time” the women’s team gained the same exposure as the men.

“It’s nice to challenge people’s perceptions of what women’s football’s about,” said James.

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United States winger Crystal Dunn Soubrier also shared her excitement ahead of the match.

4.20pm

Aspiring Lioness Nina Berry, 13, who has travelled to Lyon with her dad, said she has trained with star midfielder Jill Scott and is inspired by the tournament.

Nina, from Nottingham, who plays for Derby County RTC, said: “It’s very inspirational for young girls because it’s just really good to see that women can play just as well as a man.”

She described training with Scott, once in 2016 and again in December 2018, as “inspirational”.

“It’s really good. I would definitely recommend it because it’s very inspirational,” she said.

The training taught Nina to “try your best and no matter what happens just keep going because anything could happen”.

Her dad, David Berry, 49, added: “It’s great because it means there is a path for kids. It’s good.”

4.10pm

Primary school children, the UK’s “most patriotic” street and a barking police dog lead the messages of support being sent to the Lionesses ahead of their World Cup semi-final against the USA.

4.05pm

England players took to social media ahead of the World Cup semi-final against United States.

Goalkeeper Carly Telford and forward Georgia Stanway both tweeted:

3.20pm

Manchester United women’s coach and former England player Casey Stoney has told the Lionesses to “leave nothing out there” ahead of their World Cup semi-final against the USA.

In an Instagram post, Stoney wrote: “Be fearless, be brave, and be that girl that started playing the game because she loved it!!

“Wishing the @lionesses all the luck in the world tonight. No regrets, leave nothing out there!! Everyone is right behind you and you have the support of (the) nation.”

2.40pm

Labour MP Andrea Jenkyns has decorated her office in Morley, Leeds.

2.15pm

Getting ready for action…

2pm

After hitting headlines for their similarly grand displays during the men’s World Cup last year, residents of the Kirby Estate adorned their homes with hundreds of English flags.

Chris Dowse, 40, claimed his is the “most patriotic” estate in the whole of the UK, having put on displays for St George’s Day and England’s appearances at football tournaments since 2012.

“We haven’t gone full scale like we did last year but I’d still say there was about 150 flags flying for our Lionesses,” said Mr Dowse, who is self-employed.

“The women’s game hasn’t got as widespread coverage as the men’s – if people can see we’re doing it for the women as well hopefully it encourages a young girl to go out and kick a football around.”

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1pm

The Kirby Estate in south-east London has been decorated with St George flags ahead of the semi-final.

12.30pm

Leicester City’s Harry Maguire was among those cheering on the Lionesses.

12pm

England’s opponents – and the current title holders – did not seem too daunted by the challenge ahead.

11.30am

A group of primary school children from Suffolk have donned their England kits to cheer on the Lionesses for Tuesday’s game, sharing a video of themselves chanting “it’s coming home” to show their support.

St Gregory CEVC Primary School in Sudbury, Suffolk, shared a video to Twitter of their pupils singing the famous chant from Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds’ 1996 classic Three Lions.

According to headteacher Daniel Woodrow the children decided to make the video after doing similar for the men’s team playing in last year’s World Cup in Russia.

“There’s just been a real buzz around the tournament so some of the children came to us asking to do it again,” he said.

10.45am

Messages of support were flooding in ahead of tonight’s game.

10.30am