Preamble:
Forget all the hoohaa about "laying down a marker" and "sending out a message", the first match in a tournament is all about nabbing three points. England are fancied to do that today, with Hope Powell saying this is the best squad she's ever had at her disposal, but recent friendly defeats to North Korea and Australia means chickens and abacuses are being kept well away from each other as they kick off a campaign that they hope will end in glory.

Mexico's warm-up matches haven't gone well either, and on top of three successive defeats they've lost striker Renae Cuellar to a knee injury, and they would probably satisfied with a point from this game, which is more than they managed from their only previous appearance in the finals, in 1999, when they lost all three matches. Not that that will have any bearing on today's game.

And if you think that dodgy goalkeeping is certain to have a bearing on today's game, then John Ashdown wants a word with you, you contemptible troglodyte you.

Kick-off is at 5pm Blighty time.

Teams:
England: K Bardsley, A Scott, R Unitt, F White, C Stoney, K Carney, F Williams, J Scott, R Yankey, K Smith, E Aluko

Mexico: TSantiago, Sandoval, Garcia-Mendez, Vinti, Worbis, Dominguez, Garza, Rangel, Saucedo, Ocampo, Mayor

Referee: S Reyes (Peru)

4:50pm: Our friend and comrade @georgina_turner is in the Wolfsburg Arena and she tweets thus: "English contingent massively outnumbered in the stands here. Even the Americans are supporting Mexico." @John_Ashdown is yonder too, and he's starting to think we may see some dodgy keeping, after all, tweeting: "So Mexico start with 16 year old Santiago in goal. She's brave and agile, but handling not great according to Mexican TV guys here."

4:59pm: There's some people on the pitch ... happily they're the players, and kick-off is imminent.

1 min: Textbook kick-off from England, who thus begin their bid to join Japan - 2-1 victory over New Zealand earlier today - at the top of Group B.

2 min: Mexico are harassing England very high up the pitch, so Smith decides to put them on the back foot with a long ball down the left for Aluko to chase. It rolls out for a throw-in.

4 min: Danger for England as Mexico open them up with a slick low pass to Dominguez. The striker shapes to turn inside White but England's captain, though seemingly beaten, stretches out her trailing leg to nick the ball away and thwart a great scoring opportunity for Mexico.

6 min: It's enterprising, engrossing stuff from both sides so far. Smith has just got off England's first notable shot, a decent curling effort from the edge of the box that flies narrowly wide. meanwhile, Chris Nemeh has all but branded Georgina Turner a liar. Burn the heretic! "I find it hard to believe that my fellow USA! USA! USA! fans would be supporting Mexico after Saturday's Gold Cup humbling and subsequent pointless outrage over the 'Spanish post match ceremony'," quibbles Chris. "As long as England doesn't have anyone as bad as Clarence Goodson or Jonathon Bornstein in their starting 11 they'll do just fine."

9 min: Effervescent England are gaining the upperhand and beginning to rain crosses into the Mexican box, but the girls in green are defending stoutly so far.

11 min: Garcia-Mendez dawdles on the ball in her own area and Smith darn near punishes her, but the Mexican recovered well to out-muscle Smith and finally boot the ball to safety.

12 min: Cunning probing by England, lead by Aluko. After neat interplay in the opposing area, they are foiled by a crowd of Mexican defenders. They're starting to defend in great numbers, the Mexicans, which attests to England's growing dominance. "I don't know about Americans in Wolfsburg, but I'm watching this during lunch break stateside and supporting England," thudners Rafaello Excite.

15 min: Mexico have settled over the last few minutes, retaining possession neatly ... right up until the point coems where they have to start playing forward, whereupon they lash it up for Dominguez to chase. Easy meat for the English defence.

18 min: The game is going through a scrappy spell. England need to remain patient: they're becoming a tad frustrated by Mexico's closing down and bunched midfield and are starting to resort too frequently to hopeful long balls.

20 min: Yankey wins the ball in midfield and England quickly work it to Carney, who opts for the early shot. But her effort from 20 yards is deflected wide.

GOAL! England 1-0 Mexico (Williams 21') Yankey drifts a corner in from the right and Williams outjumps Rangel and sends a splendid header over the keeper and the defender on the line and into the net!

23 min: England are going for the kill, and have won another corner. Yankey sends in an in-swinger that the keeper punches well clear.

25 min: No sign so far of Mexico altering their approach but they will obviously have to take more risks at some point if they are to avoid defeat, and England look well equipped to take advantage of any openings that may occur.

27 min: Williams has been England's outstanding performer so far, she is the pivot on which the team turns. Her passing is accurate and astute.

28 min: Williams lets fly from 25 yards and Scott applies a fiendish touch in an attempt to outfox the keeper, but Santiago reacted well to save.

29 min: The ubiquitous Williams resumes her person duel with Santiago, and this time it is the keeper who prevails, showing fine hands to hold a rasping long shot from the midfielder.

31 min: Yankey wins a freekick on the edge of the Mexican area as England continue to dominate. Williams tonks it high over the bar. "Wow, an England game that is actually fun to watch!" gasps John Allen. "Any chance I can get my 2010 back?"

GOAL! England 1-1 Mexico (Ocampo 33') Mexico venture forward for the first time in a long time ... and promptly hit a spectacular equaliser! Ocampo, short of options, decides to let fly from 30-yard and her ferocious, swirling shot beats Bardsley. Not exactly a blunder by the keeper but she should have got closer to it.

37 min: White gives the ball away on English turf and Garza seeks to punish her with a shot from 20 yards. Not on target, however. "Very impressed with England so far," yelps Rob Edwards. "Kelly Smith in particular has a certain elegance and style to her play. By the way, young Mexican goalkeeper's handling has been superb so far. Wonder goal from Ocampo there too. Quality stuff."

39 min: Ocampo's strike has inspired the Mexicans, who seem to think Bardsley can be beaten from anywhere now. They're going to have to get their shots on target to put that theory to the test, however, and Garza again failed to do so just now, booming one well wide from 25 yards.

41 min: The equaliser has rattled England a little and Mexico are posing more of a threat now. Dominguez has just got free down the right, helped by the negligence of Scott, who has otherwise played splendidly so far, but the striker's cross goes awry.

43 min: Aluko is a tricky runner with nimble feet and she threatened to reignite England just now with a dash down the left, but after beating two defenders the third dispossesses her.

Half-time: A goal from nothing has transformed this game. England were looking assured and on top until Ocampo's blockbuster but now, faced with renewed Mexican belief and vim, they're toiling. They'll welcome half-time and the chance to regroup.

46 min: We're back.

48 min: Mexico have started this period brightly and have just won a freekick in an inviting position: at the edge of the area and quite central. "The German commentator on Eurosport is in no doubt that Mxxico's goal was a goalie error, but I thought it was just a great curling shot," blurts Iain Copestake. "Perhaps a vote is needed." I vote for a bit of both, as it were.

49 min: Dominguez drills the freekick fractionally wide.

50 min: England cobble together their best move of the half, culminating with a poorly-directed cross from the left by Yankey.

52 min: GarciaMendez nicks the ball off Williams: not spectacular but the Mexican has performed similar feats all throughout this game: she's in top form.

54 min: What a chance for England! Yankey hoiked a delightful deep cross towards the back post. Carney nodded it back across goal and Aluko seemed certain to prod into the net from three yards but swiped at fresh air. Mexico reprieved in embarrassing fashion.

57 min: Smith finds Aluko, but the striker's shot from 18 yards lacks conviction. Easy save. "Maybe German commentators are just used to higher goalkeeping standards than English ones!" chortles Thomas Niessenhaus in reference to the debate surrounding Mexico's goal. "It was a good shot, but it shouldn't be a goal from that distance." It hasn't been a great month so far for English goalies, as anyone who saw this during the Under-17 World Cup will confirm:

60 min: Now that's a let-off! Unitt clattered into Garciamendez in the box as she attempted to clear a corner and was grateful to see the ref wave play on. That should have been a penalty for Mexico.

62 min: England force a succession of corners. Carney takes the latest one short ... and rolls it straight to a Mexican! That typifies the sloppiness that England have shown since conceding.

65 min: Scott, panicking after a tidy Mexican build-up, needlessly puts the ball behind for a corner. Garza curls it in, Stoney heads powerfully clear.

66 min: Oh dear. Aluko hasn't brought her shooting boots with her today. After clever play between herself and Smith, the striker shanked wide from 16 yards. "I could do without the fancy, uncontrollable balls FIFA brings out for these competitions," whinges Curtis in Minnnesota. "Yankey put in a cross a couple of minutes ago that slithered like a snake." I can exclusively reveal that I played a match with one of those new Speedcell balls only last week and, though it did occasionally fade a little to one side, it was nowhere near as treacherous as the infamous Jabulani. My wonky passing and shooting was, then, entirely down to me.

69 min: A break in play as Dominguez receives treatment for cramp.

72 min: England substitution: Ellen White on for Carney.

74 min: England are looking uninspired.

75 min: Ellen White charges down an attempted clearance and gallops down the right before delivering a decent cross towards Yankey. Vinti intercepts.

76 min: Mexico change: Dominguez off, Lopez on.

78 min: The attendance figure is in: 18,072. Will they get to see a late twist to this game?

79 min: Quality acting from Yankey, who goes down holding her nose after having her shirt tugged. Freekick duly awarded, but Santiago, the 16-year-old who has excelled so far, punches clear.

82 min: Better from England, as they build up well and work the ball wide to Ellen White, whose fine cross narrowly eludes Smith.

83 min: England substitution: Faye White off, Bradley on.

85 min: Mexico substitution: Garza off, Noyola on.

86 min: This match is really petering out. Lots of stoppages and scrappy play and neither side look capable of creating a winner.

87 min: Positive break by England, initiated by Smith, who hared down the right and swept the ball infield to Ellen White, who was tripped at the edge of the area by Garciamendez, who gets a deserved booking. Smith takes the freekick but floats it over.

88 min: Now it's Mexico's turn to have a pop from a freekick around 25 yards out. Ocampo curls it sweetly over the wall ... but two yards over the bar, too.

90 min: Three minutes of added time.

90+2 min: England's desultory second half summed up by Williams giving the ball away to Ocampo in midfield and then allowing her opponent to run into the box and win a corner. Ocampo takes it and it finds its way to Mayer on the brink of the box. White valiantly deflects the shot out for a corner.

Full-time: Not the start that England were hoping for but it was a fair result. Mexico were dynamic and well-organised and England rarely looked canny enough to carve them open and were frequently guilty of sloppiness. They'll need to improve if they are to fulfil their ambitions.