Beth Mead helped England get off to a winning start at Euro 2022 as they beat Austria in front of a record crowd for a European Women’s Championship game at Old Trafford.
The Arsenal winger chested down Fran Kirby’s lifted pass and deftly touched it over club team-mate Manuela Zinsberger after just 16 minutes.
There was a roar from the majority of the 68,871 in attendance as Mead turned to them passionately with her arms in the air – though, they were made to wait anxiously as there was a VAR check for a possible offside.
The early goal settled England’s nerves and they quickly began to dominate in Manchester.
Mead, Georgia Stanway and Kirby offered plenty of creativity and movement in the first half and one criticism may have been England’s lack of ruthlessness.
But it was a job well done in the tournament opener and though Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps was called into action to deny Barbara Dunst in the second half, Austria were reduced to few clear-cut chances.
The Lionesses, who are in Group A with Austria, Northern Ireland and Norway, are aiming to win their first major tournament – and have started that bid by extending their unbeaten run to 15 matches.
They face arguably their toughest test of the group stages on Monday when they take on Norway, ranked 11th in the world.
More to follow.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
England
-
Squad number18Player nameKelly
-
Squad number20Player nameToone
-
Squad number23Player nameRusso
Austria
-
Squad number1Player nameZinsberger
-
Squad number12Player nameWienroither
-
Squad number7Player nameWenninger
-
Squad number11Player nameSchnaderbeck
-
Squad number19Player nameHanshaw
-
Squad number17Player namePuntigam
-
Squad number8Player nameDunst
-
Squad number9Player nameZadrazil
-
Squad number10Player nameFeiersinger
-
Squad number3Player nameNaschenweng
-
Squad number15Player nameBilla
-
Squad number2Player nameGeorgieva
-
Squad number14Player nameHöbinger
-
Squad number18Player nameHickelsberger-Füller
Line-ups
England
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Earps
- 2Bronze
- 6Bright
- 8Williamson
- 3Daly
- 10Stanway
- 4Walsh
- 7MeadSubstituted forKellyat 64′minutes
- 14KirbySubstituted forTooneat 63′minutes
- 11Hemp
- 9WhiteSubstituted forRussoat 64′minutes
Substitutes
- 5Greenwood
- 12Carter
- 13Hampton
- 15Stokes
- 16Scott
- 17Parris
- 18Kelly
- 19England
- 20Toone
- 21Roebuck
- 22Wubben-Moy
- 23Russo
Austria
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Zinsberger
- 12Wienroither
- 7Wenninger
- 11SchnaderbeckSubstituted forGeorgievaat 77′minutes
- 19Hanshaw
- 17Puntigam
- 8Dunst
- 9Zadrazil
- 10FeiersingerSubstituted forHöbingerat 87′minutes
- 3NaschenwengSubstituted forHickelsberger-Füllerat 59′minutes
- 15Billa
Substitutes
- 2Georgieva
- 4Degen
- 5Schasching
- 6Schiechtl
- 13Kirchberger
- 14Höbinger
- 16Eder
- 18Hickelsberger-Füller
- 20Makas
- 21Kresche
- 22Enzinger
- 23Pal
- Referee:
- Marta Huerta de Aza
Live Text
-
Match ends, England 1, Austria Women 0.
-
Second Half ends, England 1, Austria Women 0.
-
Rachel Daly (England) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by Julia Hickelsberger-Füller (Austria Women).
-
Foul by Alessia Russo (England).
-
Carina Wenninger (Austria Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Attempt blocked. Barbara Dunst (Austria Women) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marie-Therese Höbinger.
-
Attempt saved. Julia Hickelsberger-Füller (Austria Women) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Marie-Therese Höbinger.
-
Substitution, Austria Women. Marie-Therese Höbinger replaces Laura Feiersinger because of an injury.
-
Corner, England. Conceded by Verena Hanshaw.
-
Attempt blocked. Alessia Russo (England) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lauren Hemp.
-
Foul by Chloe Kelly (England).
-
Julia Hickelsberger-Füller (Austria Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Attempt saved. Lauren Hemp (England) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Lucy Bronze.
-
Rachel Daly (England) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Foul by Julia Hickelsberger-Füller (Austria Women).
-
Attempt missed. Nicole Billa (Austria Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
-
Foul by Alessia Russo (England).
-
Marina Georgieva (Austria Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
-
Corner, Austria Women. Conceded by Mary Earps.