European champions England on Friday snatched a crucial 1-0 victory against Denmark, propelling themselves closer to the Women's World Cup knock-out stages.

However, their joy was bittersweet, as they suffered a heart-wrenching blow with the loss of their star midfielder, Keira Walsh, to a mysterious knee injury.

Amid the electrifying atmosphere of the 40,000-strong crowd in Sydney, Chelsea's rising star and sister to Reece James, Lauren James, made her mark in the sixth minute, guiding the Lionesses to an early lead.

But fate had something else in store for England, as Walsh, a linchpin in the team's midfield, faced a gut-wrenching moment when she slipped on the turf later in the half and was carried off on a stretcher.

Speculations and concern ran high in the stadium as the exact nature of Walsh's injury remained a mystery.

The midfielder later hobbled on crutches while seated on the subs' bench.

In a deja vu of their opening match against Haiti, England once again struggled to convert their dominance into more goals.

Their missed opportunities almost proved costly when Denmark's Amalie Vangsgaard's powerful header kissed the right post in the 87th minute, leaving English hearts in their mouths.

Despite the nail-biting finale, Lauren James, the heroine of the day, expressed her elation, "It was a dream to score, and something I've been thinking about, but most importantly, I'm happy to help us win," she told the BBC.

England's tactician, coach Sara Wiegmann, summed up the rollercoaster of emotions: "We started well, we played well and scored the goal, and then we had a little stage in the first half, we lost balls we didn't have to lose. Then we had the horrible moment with Keira. Second half was a fight, and the team showed we adapted to the new situation, and we had to fight to win. I am very proud of the team."

With six points, England currently reign supreme atop Group D, but their spot in the last-16 is yet to be secured.

China's triumphant 1-0 victory over Haiti, courtesy of Wang Shuang's penalty, propelled them to three points alongside Denmark, making the final group match a make-or-break encounter.

Coach Wiegman's tactical genius shone brightly as one of her changes to the starting lineup proved to be an instant game-changer.

Lauren James, stepping in for Lauren Hemp, stunned the world with a mesmerizing curler into the right corner from outside the penalty area, setting the tone for England's thrilling victory.

Denmark, however, did not bow down easily, with Rikke Madsen and captain Pernille Harder spearheading their fightback.

A spectacular shot wide from Madsen and Harder's attempt at the English goalkeeper, Mary Earps, kept the Lionesses on their toes.

Then came the defining moment of anguish – Walsh's unexpected and dramatic exit.

Sliding while in pursuit of the ball, the Barcelona star clutched her knee in pain, leaving fans gasping.

As Laura Coombs replaced her, the Lionesses rallied and fought on, showcasing their indomitable spirit.

Despite England's valiant efforts, a second goal eluded them.

Alessia Russo's attempt fired wide right, and Beth England's looping header missed the mark in the 81st minute.

China-Haiti drama

While England's triumph was celebrated, their last-16 berth remained uncertain until China's dramatic win over Haiti was confirmed.

Substitute Wang Shuang scored a 74th-minute penalty as China survived for more than an hour with 10 players to beat debutants Haiti 1-0 and keep their Women's World Cup dreams alive.

Needing to avoid defeat in Adelaide, China had been the dominant team in damp conditions until Zhang Rui was sent off in the 29th minute for a clumsy tackle on Sherly Jeudy.

The Asian champions survived an onslaught early in the second half from Haiti before Zhang Linyan was brought down in the box by Ruthny Mathurin against the run of play.

After a lengthy VAR review, Wang made no mistake with her penalty kick and China gamely held on in a wild contest involving several calls for penalties.

Haiti were awarded a penalty in second-half stoppage time after Roseline Eloissaint had been seemingly grappled with by Chen Qiaozhu, but the referee rescinded it after a VAR check.

The result means China are level with Denmark on three points in Group D, with England leading on six points but their place in the last 16 is still not assured.

China came into the game under pressure after losing to Denmark 1-0 in Perth. Another defeat would have sent them home.

After China surprisingly took the lead, Haiti desperately sought an equaliser but it wasn't forthcoming in a dramatic ending to a game that stretched well past 100 minutes.

Earlier, Argentina and South Africa, locked in a thrilling Group G battle, brought spectators to the edge of their seats.

South Africa seemed destined for victory with goals from Linda Motlhalo and Thembi Kgatlana, but Argentina launched a dramatic comeback, with Sofia Braun's sensational long-range strike and substitute Romina Nunez's heroics earning them a well-fought 2-2 draw.

As the group stage heats up, all eyes are now on Italy and Sweden, who face off in a high-stakes encounter with a spot in the last 16 up for grabs.