MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -The ladies’s European Championship obtained beneath manner with pre-game fireworks for a match record crowd however there was little sparkle from hosts England as they laboured to a 1-0 win over Austria at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
The crowd of 68,871 was the biggest for a European Championship sport, beating the earlier finest of 41,301 from the Euro 2013 last in Sweden, and the passion of the closely youthful and noisy supporters fired England to a full of life start.
Beth Mead grabbed the decisive aim in the sixteenth minute for the Lionesses – dinking the ball over Austria goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger after being picked out by Fran Kirby.
Although Austria defender Carina Wenninger valiantly tried to clear off the road, along with her effort hanging the bar and flying away from aim, the ball was dominated to have crossed the road.
It was Mead’s fifteenth aim in as many video games for her nation and the Lionesses’ alltime prime scorer Ellen White went near including a second, ten minutes later, flashing a header from a Lauren Hemp cross simply huge.
It felt like England may shortly set up a snug lead with Georgia Stanway discovering house to create and Kirby delivering some intelligent passes on the left.
But the Austrians settled right into a compact form and infrequently threatened on the break whereas England regularly ran out of their early burst of inspiration.
Sarina Wiegman’s staff struggled to create clear-cut probabilities and lacked sharpness in assault with the Dutch coach making a triple substitution in the sixty fourth minute in an try so as to add some spice.
Austria have been on the again foot for a lot of the sport however got here near a leveller in the 78th — England goalkeeper Mary Earps doing nicely to maintain out a curling effort from Barbara Dunst.
“It was the primary sport of the match,” stated Wiegman, who received the match as Netherlands coach in 2017.
“It’s so essential to win the sport to have a very good start. I believe we confirmed completely different phases in this sport, some good and a few not-so-good,” she added.
Mead was extra effusive after lapping up the singing of the crowd on the finish of the sport.
“Beyond phrases. What a tremendous evening to start the match with a win. I’m actually completely satisfied to get a aim for the staff,” she advised the BBC.
England’s different Group A rivals, Northern Ireland and Norway will face one another on Thursday in Southampton.
Austria coach Irene Fuhrmann was happy with the best way her staff approached the sport.
“I’m very proud of our efficiency and the best way we performed. But on the finish of the day we’re leaving with zero factors and that could be a massive disappointment,” she stated.
“In the second half we confirmed a very good response offensively, we confirmed braveness and created a couple of probabilities however of course England dominated and deserved the win.”
(Reporting by Simon EvansEditing by Christian Radnedge)
