England 7-2 Austria: Player ratings as Lionesses start 2024 with comfortable victory
FROM ESTADIO NEUVO MIRADOR — England started 2024 with a 7-2 victory featuring five different scorers against well-known foe Austria as part of their warm weather training camp in southern Spain.
England touched down in Marbella earlier in the week to kick-start their preparations for the Euro 2025 qualifiers which begin in two months.
Ella Toone replaced Fran Kirby in the lineup following the warmup after the Chelsea midfielder was ruled out as a precaution.
Grace Clinton marked her first England start with a goal as Sarina Wiegman heavily rotated her squad. Alessia Russo and Beth Mead netted braces while Jess Carter added further gloss with a nifty flick at the near post and Rachel Daly completed the evening with a powerful stoppage-time strike.
Virginia Kirchberger was able to get on the scoresheet twice for Austria to soften the blow.
England will round off their warm weather training camp with another friendly against Italy on Tuesday.
Within three minutes, England broke the deadlock after Arsenal goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger parried Mead's initial shot and club teammate Russo tapped home.
Clinton, making her senior England debut, was agonisingly denied by the woodwork before marking her first cap with a superb header in the 19th minute to double the lead.
Half an hour in, Austria nipped one back against the run of play as Kirchberger got a head to a looping cross and beat Chelsea's Hannah Hampton — making only her third Lionesses appearance — in the England goal.
Lauren Hemp broke into the box to tee up Russo, but the Arsenal striker failed to get her initial shot to take flight. Mead was there to gather, turn and send a lofted shot into the top corner with plenty of time to secure England's third.
Mead was unhappy that
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