England defender Lucy Bronze is drawing on the experience of her first World Cup eight years ago to allay fears that the Lionesses did not play like favourites in their 1-0 opening victory against Haiti in Brisbane.

That win, sealed by Georgia Stanway’s twice-taken penalty against a side 49 places below England in the FIFA rankings, extended the Lionesses’ streak without a goal from open play to three games, including their 0-0 behind-closed-doors pre-tournament training match with Canada.

Bronze made her World Cup debut at the 2015 tournament, where England fell to France in their opener but ultimately finished up with the third-place medal for their best-ever finish in a global showpiece.

She said: “Well, in my first World Cup we lost the first game and ended finishing third. There’s only so much you can take from the game. The most important thing is it gives us momentum but it’s better than having to chase points and we get to focus on the next two games.

“We’re playing against players we’ve never played before. It takes a little while to get into those games. Once we got going you saw England coming back to life again. We need to do that more for longer.”

Bronze had no doubt Stanway would step up to the spot twice on Saturday, after her initial penalty was saved by Haiti’s 5ft 4in goalkeeper Kerly Theus.

That would have left Stanway with a career record of six penalties scored and two missed, but she was given another chance after the referee ruled Theus had come off her line.

Bronze had full faith in Stanway to put the ball in the back of the net with her second opportunity, which the Bayern Munich midfielder did handily.

She said: “I don’t think anyone doubted that Georgia would take it. We just picked it up and gave it to her. She doesn’t need any encouragement to do that. Georgia is not the type of player that needs telling what to do or is lacking confidence. We all knew that a second chance was enough for her to bury it.”

England, who have now checked into their World Cup base on the New South Wales’ Central Coast, next face world number 13 Denmark on Friday in Sydney before taking on 14th-placed China in Adelaide to conclude the group stage, with the top two teams advancing to the last 16.

Bronze’s team-mate Alessia Russo, who on Saturday was favoured for the centre-forward role by Sarina Wiegman over Women’s Super League Golden Boot winner Rachel Daly, was one of the only England players to admit their first half against Haiti looked a bit rusty.

She said: “Yeah, I think so. Us as players are the first to recognise that. We’ll be back to training this week and training hard to push on now but tournaments are always about winning and that’s the most important thing.

“I don’t think I ever worry about goals and winning with this team. I think we’ve got a very special talented squad and I know that people show up at the right times.

“The first game, we’ve been building up to it for a long time. It’s done now, three points under the belt. Now we really push on. Moments were good and we’ll reflect on it, we’ll analyse and we’ll be ready for Denmark.”

England defender Lucy Bronze said the Lionesses are feeling “empowered” ahead of their World Cup opener after releasing a statement addressing the players’ ongoing row with the Football Association (FA) over bonus payments and other commercial concerns.

In a message from the team posted on social media by captain Millie Bright, the Lionesses said they were “disappointed that a resolution has still not been achieved” but would “pause discussions, with full intentions of revisiting them following the tournament”, which begins for England on Saturday against Haiti in Brisbane.

Bronze, speaking at England’s team hotel on Wednesday, was adamant that the decision to go public about the situation was motivated not just by personal financial benefits but wider principles, and maintained she is “one hundred per cent confident that we will not be distracted by this”.

Bronze said: “I think the players are feeling very empowered. I think it’s the first time as a player group we’ve actually ever sent the message out ourselves, that we’ve collectively done together and set our sights on. So I think in that respect it’s been a very empowered player group last night and this morning and these past few weeks.

“I feel like we felt it was important that we sent the message out, because there has been some talks (and) we want to show that we’re focused for the World Cup, that is our main focus.

“It’s super sad that we have these issues. I think that again, this was something that we spoke about as an England group. We’re not only doing this for ourselves, we’re doing it so that we can set a standard.”

The Lionesses join players from teams including France, Spain, Jamaica, Nigeria, Canada and co-hosts Australia who have in recent months expressed concerns over issues ranging from pay to personnel in their own federations and beyond.

Bronze continued: “It’s unfortunate that it has come before the World Cup, but at the same time, it’s because the World Cup gives us the big stage. It’s when people want to listen to us, it’s when things really matter.

“And that’s why so many teams now are coming out and speaking about it, because it’s the only moment that they get the stage or the opportunity to speak out, which is unfortunate.”

For the first time in a Women’s World Cup, players will be guaranteed performance-related remuneration directly from FIFA, with amounts increasing the deeper teams go in the tournament.

In addition, the Lionesses were also understood to be frustrated by a lack of clarity over what their cut from any commercial deals done by the FA linked to the team will be, as well as the restrictions around their personal sponsorships.

The PA news agency has contacted the FA for comment.

Bronze said the Lionesses benefit from a generally amiable relationship with the FA that leaves the squad feeling optimistic that they can reach an agreement without taking more dramatic steps, like threatening to boycott their Nations League fixtures, set to follow the World Cup in September.

She said: “I don’t think we made any threats as players, I think we’re quite well spoken. And we know how to kind of stand our ground – I can’t say the conversations ever got to be that heated.”

At the same time, Bronze suggested she and her team-mates deserved more, particularly after their victory at last summer’s Euros led to a paradigm shift for women and girls’ football in England, from a 173 per cent uptick in Women’s Super League attendance to a surge in participation at the grassroots level.

She added: “There’s constantly another level and another step you can take. Whether that’s commercially – or on or off the pitch. Whether that’s performance-based, it’s being rewarded for the things you have done.

“We are the European Champions. We have changed the game massively in England, so we want everything to fall in line. If we are going to do well on the pitch, then you would expect things to follow.”

England defender Lucy Bronze admitted it is a “shame” women often find themselves entrenched in battles for change amid reports the Lionesses are unhappy with the situation around performance-related bonuses at the World Cup.

Bronze and her team-mates arrived in Australia on Friday to begin preparations for this summer’s showpiece, which under a new model will see players guaranteed remuneration directly from FIFA with amounts increasing the deeper teams go in the tournament. They range from 30,000 US dollars (£23,367) per athlete for the group stage to USD 270,000 (£210,305) allotted to each champion.

Previously, it was up to individual national governing bodies to decide how money was allocated, with some still agreeing to fund additional payments in 2023 beyond the new deal – though multiple media outlets have suggested the  Football Association has no current plans to do the same.

When asked about the bonus talks, Bronze told Sky Sports: “I think a lot of these issues happen in women’s football – you don’t just see it for our team.

“There are many teams where players or associations or teams are having to fight to make changes in the game.

“We are pushing the game on, we’re trying to hit new levels and that’s what we want to do as players both on the pitch and off the pitch.

“It’s a shame that women in sport in general have to do that, but I think it’s a role than many athletes, many women take on in society and in sport.”

The PA news agency has contacted the FA for comment.

Players from Canada, France, Jamaica, Spain and South Africa are among the women who have recently raised concerns or taken action over issues ranging from personnel to pay and conditions, while 2023 will be the first World Cup for double defending champions the United States following their landmark legal battle to secure equal compensation with their male counterparts.

It will also mark a final World Cup for US forward Megan Rapinoe, who on Saturday announced she would be hanging up her boots at the end of this season.

The outspoken Ballon D’Or Feminin winner, 38, is one of the most recognisable faces in the game, both for her often colourful hairstyle and equally vibrant personality, as well as her leadership and advocacy work including the equal pay fight.

Bronze, speaking at Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Stadium, added: “Icon gets used a lot but she’s an icon on and off the field.

“People talk about her hair but the way she’s stood up and spoken out on so many issues is incredible, it’s changed the lives of so many people around the world, not just in football but in society as well, and I think there’s been many times where she’s taken stick for it but she just carries on because she knows what she’s doing, she’s doing it for the good things.”

Sunday’s England training session was held in front of about 3,000 spectators, which Barcelona’s Bronze felt helped lend her side a sense of familiarity despite the 10,000-plus mile distance and nine-hour time difference from London.

She said: “I think in a way it’s like being at home because in England we get this kind of support for open training days.

“It feels like an English summer, there’s so many fans, you can interact and speak with them, which doesn’t necessarily happen when you go halfway around the world, you can’t always connect as much as that. It’s nice, it’s just like another day in England in a way.”

Head coach Sarina Wiegman named an unchanged starting XI for the entirety of her side’s winning Euro 2022 campaign, but the team that will line up against Haiti for their July 22 World Cup opener in Brisbane will necessarily look very different following the retirement of Ellen White and injuries to captain Leah Williamson, forward Beth Mead and midfielder Fran Kirby.

Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly, meanwhile, has been swapped from the back to the front, named among Wiegman’s forwards for England’s pursuit of a maiden global title, while Niamh Charles, Laura Coombs, Lauren James, Esme Morgan, Katie Robinson and Katie Zelem will all be playing at their first major tournament.

Following the opener, England face Denmark in Sydney before wrapping up the group stage against China in Adelaide with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout rounds.

Lucy Bronze says England have youngsters in their Women’s World Cup squad that are “exciting and fearless”.

The starting line-up for Saturday’s 0-0 warm-up draw with Portugal at Stadium MK included Manchester City 22-year-old Esme Morgan in a central defence missing regular captain Leah Williamson, ruled out of the tournament by an ACL injury, and stand-in skipper Millie Bright as she continues to build her fitness.

There was also a start in attack for Chelsea’s Lauren James, 21, while 20-year-old Brighton forward Katie Robinson came off the bench for the European champions in the second half.

Right-back Bronze said: “The younger players who are the least experienced, Robbo, LJ and Esme, I thought all of them did really well.

“They grew into the game. You don’t see the weight of expectation on their shoulders. You talk about Millie Bright, Leah Williamson, and I thought Esme was very good.

“They are exciting and they don’t have fear. They slot in. They are used to doing it in the league and they do it for us now.”

James initially operated on the right side of a front three before switching to a deeper central position when England boss Sarina Wiegman made changes at the interval.

On her link-up with James, Bronze said: “LJ and I have a good relationship off the pitch as well.

“She’s eager to learn. For a player that’s so young and talented, people forget how much expectation there is on her.

“Because I’m the experienced player, she wants to get me in the game. I’m saying to her ‘you’re the winger, you have it.’ It’s nice that she wants to get me involved. Give her space and she will score us a goal.

“She’s still learning when to be selfish and when not to be and when to make the right decision. I’m just there to help her find her way.”

This summer’s edition in Australia and New Zealand, which gets under way on July 20, will be a third World Cup for Bronze.

“Players look towards the older ones and I’m now one of them,” the 31-year Barcelona star, holder of more than 100 caps, said.

“I’m kind of laid-back and relaxed. They look at me and think it’s going to be OK. If I was maybe to get anxious they’d get worried about it.

“We have players like myself, Millie Bright and Alex (Greenwood) who have been to World Cups and played in the Euros, and we know how to deal with different pressures and adversities on and off the pitch. Maybe the less experienced ones know from that that everything is going to be OK.”

Regarding the 2015 World Cup in Canada that saw her score twice and help England finish third, Bronze added: “I went into it as a young player, not expecting to do much and I ended up playing every single game, scoring goals and forced myself into the spotlight.

“Anything can happen in the World Cup. We saw that last year with Chloe (Kelly) in the Euros, scoring the winner in a tournament that she played very few minutes in. There will be plenty of opportunities for people to shine and have their moments.”

Following Saturday’s send-off game, England are set to depart the country for Australia on Wednesday, and play another warm-up against Canada, behind closed doors, on July 14 before opening their World Cup campaign eight days later against Haiti in Brisbane.