Match ends, England 1, Austria Women 0.
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 to ensure the ball had fully crossed the line.
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.
Sarina Wiegman's side face arguably their toughest test of the group stages on Monday when they take on Norway, ranked 11th in the world.
- Relive England's win over Austria
- 'A night like no other' - Euro 2022 has lift-off
- So important to start with win - Wiegman
Job done for England
England's task on the opening night was simple: win at all costs.
They did that and though it was not the free-flowing performance Wiegman may have hoped to see, it kickstarted their Euro campaign and gave the home fans at Old Trafford a result they could celebrate.
Fans gathered outside the stadium hours before kick-off, wearing England's new shirt and posing for photographs in front of Old Trafford's famous statues.
Austria's fans also gathered in numbers, chanting and draped in flags as they tried to get in the background of television shots as crews worked outside.
It was a memorable night - not for the performance but for the occasion - and England will hope to gather momentum as they prepare for a tough match on Monday.
Mead delivers on the big stage again
Mead is a player for the big stage, so it was no surprise she was the scorer of England's first goal at the Euros.
Taking her tally to 15 goals in 15 appearances for her country since the start of 2021, Mead was one of the standout performers at Old Trafford.
Just three months ago, she scored four goals in a 10-0 thrashing of North Macedonia to take England to within touching distance of qualifying for the World Cup.
She scored twice in Arsenal's win over rivals Chelsea on the opening day of the Women's Super League season last September.
And a 14-minute hat-trick at Wembley helped England to victory over Northern Ireland in October.
With competition for places in the side extremely high - particularly in the attacking positions - Mead continuously gives reasons for Wiegman to select her.
Player of the match
BrightMillie Bright
England
Avg
- Squad number6Player nameBrightAverage rating
6.54
- Squad number7Player nameMeadAverage rating
6.07
- Squad number1Player nameEarpsAverage rating
5.87
- Squad number8Player nameWilliamsonAverage rating
5.84
- Squad number11Player nameHempAverage rating
5.51
- Squad number2Player nameBronzeAverage rating
5.43
- Squad number4Player nameWalshAverage rating
5.39
- Squad number20Player nameTooneAverage rating
5.37
- Squad number10Player nameStanwayAverage rating
5.37
- Squad number3Player nameDalyAverage rating
5.36
- Squad number23Player nameRussoAverage rating
5.26
- Squad number14Player nameKirbyAverage rating
5.17
- Squad number18Player nameKellyAverage rating
5.15
- Squad number9Player nameWhiteAverage rating
4.99
Austria
Avg
- Squad number1Player nameZinsbergerAverage rating
6.51
- Squad number19Player nameHanshawAverage rating
6.22
- Squad number7Player nameWenningerAverage rating
6.15
- Squad number14Player nameHöbingerAverage rating
6.15
- Squad number12Player nameWienroitherAverage rating
6.13
- Squad number2Player nameGeorgievaAverage rating
6.06
- Squad number11Player nameSchnaderbeckAverage rating
6.06
- Squad number9Player nameZadrazilAverage rating
5.99
- Squad number10Player nameFeiersingerAverage rating
5.97
- Squad number15Player nameBillaAverage rating
5.91
- Squad number3Player nameNaschenwengAverage rating
5.90
- Squad number17Player namePuntigamAverage rating
5.88
- Squad number18Player nameHickelsberger-FüllerAverage rating
5.87
- Squad number8Player nameDunstAverage rating
5.87
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
- Attendance:
- 68,871
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home60%
- Away40%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away2
- Corners
- Home5
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home5
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, England 1, Austria Women 0.
Post update
Rachel Daly (England) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Julia Hickelsberger-Füller (Austria Women).
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Foul by Alessia Russo (England).
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Carina Wenninger (Austria Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Barbara Dunst (Austria Women) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marie-Therese Höbinger.
Post update
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
Substitution, Austria Women. Marie-Therese Höbinger replaces Laura Feiersinger because of an injury.
Post update
Corner, England. Conceded by Verena Hanshaw.
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Attempt blocked. Alessia Russo (England) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lauren Hemp.
Post update
Foul by Chloe Kelly (England).
Post update
Julia Hickelsberger-Füller (Austria Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
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.
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Rachel Daly (England) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Julia Hickelsberger-Füller (Austria Women).
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Attempt missed. Nicole Billa (Austria Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
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Foul by Alessia Russo (England).
Post update
Marina Georgieva (Austria Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Austria Women. Conceded by Mary Earps.
Comments
Join the conversation
More generally, BBC must stop using my own money to tell me that I’m wrong to say that women’s football is being over-promoted.
When the commentator waxed lyrically in the first quarter about England having the right idea to feed the long ball to White...& the pass landed 30 odd yards from the player in open space...I actually wondered whether the commentator was watching the same match as I was!!
Watched minutes 6 to 12 after the ball was kicked straight out for the 4th Time that was me.
I really wish I could get into this but the hype and standard just don't match up.
Just because we say the game was rubbish standard, does not mean we're sexist.
It just means we thought the game was rubbish and will watch the next one to see if the standard picks up - that's all.
It's called Have Your Say which means you can as well.
Why not? Because the standard is not what I want to watch.
2.. DO I now want to watch women's football? NO
Why not? Because the standard is not what I want to watch
And I suspect many others might have the same view of both ... and, if so, then it can't be criticised as being sexist.
Yet I suspect it will.
Told them to get back in and watch the game