Match of the Day Live: Women’s Football World Cup Qualifier

What a shame for Hope Powell that her spell as England coach – 15 years, outlasting eight of her male counterparts – should end in such ignominy. England’s women’s team collapsed at this year’s European Championships amid reports of dissension, largely obscuring real long term progress in the game both on and off the pitch.

So caretaker manager Brent Hill will be hoping for a clean slate as the Three Lionesses begin their World Cup qualification campaign at home to a beatable-looking Belarus. They then host Turkey on Thursday (live on BBC3 from 7pm), with recently recalled leading league goalscorer Natasha Dowie among those aiming to impress the new manager.