Contents
08:30 PM
Beth Mead’s goal
08:29 PM
26 mins
Kirby gets involved, for the first time in the match, feeding the ball to Hemp, who crosses to White – perfectly placed – but her strike goes wide. Sarina Wiegman can scarcely believe it, and neither can the crowd.
08:28 PM
24 mins
Throw-in from the right for England, and its sent back down to midfield and Bright, who passes off to Bronze, who flicks it to Mead, who goes on a run into the box, but the ball is bundled out by the Austrian defence.
08:27 PM
From Luke Edwards at Old Trafford
There has not been the same attention on Beth Mead as there has been on Lauren Hemp heading into this tournament but that was her 15th goal for England under Sarina Wiegman! She is rapidly becoming one of England’s most important players. Lovely finish to lift the ball over the goalkeeper too.
08:26 PM
21 mins
Lauren Hemp scurries up the left wing, seeking a waiting Ellen White in the box, but it takes an Austrian deflection and runs out for a corner. Hemp takes it, and Bright gets a head to it, before sending it to Bronze. The ball falls just in front of goal, and Hemp swipes for it, but Zinsberger’s defenders keep the ball away from danger.
08:23 PM
19 mins
The wind has been taken out of Austria’s sails somewhat, after a feisty start.
08:21 PM
Here comes VAR
Blessedly, VAR is part of Euro 2022. There are a hairy few moments, but England can celebrate when the goal stands.
08:21 PM
GOAL!!!!
Memorable territory for supporters of England! After looking cagey, it’s England that have gone ahead after a wonderful finish by Beth Mead which goes way over Austrian heads to land just over the line.
But over the line it goes, and England are 1-0 up!
08:19 PM
14 min
England has a tricky moment when Austria mounts another attack, getting into the box and leaving Bright to absorb the pressure, with the help of Mary Earps, who keeps the shot under wraps.
Zadradzil mounts another run, and even when the ball falls into England’s hands, Austria are buzzing around.
But then England get a break, Stanway scooping up the ball in front of the box and going on a terrific run that sees her on the edge of the area. She looks for White, but the pass is deflected.
08:16 PM
Update from Luke Edwards at Old Trafford
England have not started well. Lots of mistakes and loose passes. Keira Walsh, Leah Williamson and Lucy Bronze have all lost possession cheaply.
The England captain managing to pass the ball straight to Austria’s number nine. In attack, Lauren Hemp was one on one with the last defender, but a poor first touch gave the ball to a relieved defender.
08:15 PM
12 mins
Bronze finds Stanway, who is denied on the edge of the area, but it goes back to Bronze, who can refeed the ball into box. When Austria keep them out, Hemp gets another chance off a Bronze ball in from the right, but with a little nudge, Wenninger pushes the forward out of position, and moves Austria out of danger.
08:14 PM
10 mins
Daly tries to push up the pitch, but Austria, brave and bunchy around midfield, are keeping England from joined up attack. Hemp receives a fantastic pass from Bright by the left corner, and sends the ball in for White to head in, but she can’t get sufficient power on it, and Zinsberger can collect it easily.
08:12 PM
Update from Fiona Tomas at Old Trafford
England look lively on the counter but their defensive frailties were exposed when Austria poured forward in the opening five minutes. Some sloppy play from Leah Williamson, who gave away the ball cheaply in a dangerous area, could have cost them. Remember, though, the Lionesses have conceded just three times in 14 matches under Sarina Wiegman. On paper, they should be tough to break down.
08:11 PM
8 mins
Bronze is victim of a one-two punch, and Feiersinger takes charge, running down the left. Hanshaw is overturned by Mead, covering well, and appeals for a foul, but instead, England win a goal kick.
Stanway loses the ball to Feiersinger, very punchy in the opening minutes, but the ball is muscled out for an Austrian throw.
08:09 PM
6 mins
Walsh has her pocket picked by Zadrazil, who goes in on a tilted run at England’s box. Zadrazil, from Bayern, is one to watch. Austria get a corner, taken by Hanshaw, but Bright gets a terrific header and England break away for a counter. Hemp gets going but runs out of options. The ball is paddled back, and Bright sets up a long cross in to Hemp, but it flies out of play.
08:07 PM
4 mins
Feiesinger goes for the run but is blocked early in the England half. Fran Kirby receives a pass, but is unsupported. Stanway has an attempt, but it flies out for a goal kick.
08:06 PM
2 min
Hemp overturns Austrian possession, aided by Daly, and win a free kick in a promising area. Zinsberger frantically arranges the players as the ball is whipped towards goal, with Bronze lying in wait by the far post, but Zinsberger can bundle up the ball with ease.
08:04 PM
1 min
Austria kick off and mount an all-black run into England’s half, catching England off guard somewhat. But England can clear. It ends up in Austrian hands, the ball passed to Zinsberger to reset.
08:03 PM
Players break from their huddles
The Euro 2020 car has returned to drop off the ball, which gets an enormous cheer itself. The players take the knee, then the whistle blows, and we’re off!
07:59 PM
The players emerge from the tunnel
To a wall of sound, the packed stands at Old Trafford roaring. They line up behind their flags and await the anthems, which are duly sung.
We are moments away.
07:54 PM
England have to win Euro 2022 – they will never get a chance like this again
English journalists and fans are often accused of over-hyping the national team but, in the case of this particular squad, it is not ‘English bias’, nor arrogance to state that the Lionesses have the best chance of any of the 16 sides involved. Rather, it is simply logical to say that this hugely talented group of 23 players, competing on home soil, and coached by a greatly respected manager who won the last Euros, has an incredible opportunity if they can hold their nerve.
Tom Garry evaluates England’s chances, and writes that they’ve never been better.
07:51 PM
Just under ten minutes to go
Kick-off is at 8pm, so stay right where you are – you won’t want to miss a moment.
07:49 PM
Live from Old Trafford: it’s Team Telegraph Sport’s tournament predictions
07:46 PM
In all its glory
07:41 PM
Old Trafford is rocking
07:39 PM
Sarina Wiegman on Alex Greenwood’s starting XI omission:
I can imagine [there has been a lot of talk about this]. We’ve had very good matches, she’s played well, and the other players have played well too, so that was a big decision [to leave her out].
You take everything into consideration, and this comes out of it
07:32 PM
Out and warming up
07:28 PM
The English summertime jokes write themselves
07:27 PM
England for England
07:24 PM
That Austria team news in black and white
Starting XI: Manuela Zinsberger (GK), Katharina Naschenweng, Carina Wenninger, Barbara Dunst, Sarah Zadrazil, Laura Feiersinger, Viktoria Schnaderbeck (c), Laura Wienroither, Nicole Billa, Sarah Puntigam, Verena Hanshaw
07:20 PM
The Telegraph Sport team, poised for action
07:18 PM
The atmosphere is already electric
More from Tom Garry, our women’s football reporter, who is in situ at Old Trafford:
The atmosphere here outside Old Trafford was lively even three hours before kick-off, and the home side received a noisy welcome from six-deep banks of fans when their coach arrived. Meanwhile, in the media area, we understand well over 200 members of the press are here tonight.
To try and put that into context, only seven days ago, the Telegraph and Guardian were the only newspapers who had written-media reporters at England’s pre-match press conference ahead of their final friendly versus Switzerland. So the contrast tonight is seismic.
07:14 PM
From Tom Garry at Old Trafford
The decision to leave out Alex Greenwood is a pretty controversial one from Sarina Wiegman, who has made Greenwood a core part of this season over the past season, starting her whenever she was fit. The Man City defender built a strong partnership at centre-back with Millie Bright and has been integral to the way England have played, building from the back, and one week ago it felt certain those two would start together at centre-half together.
But Wiegman has decided that skipper Leah Williamson is better off dropping back to play in defence rather than midfield, and therefore it’s Greenwood who misses out. Most fans would agree that defence is Williamson’s best position for England, but it’s undoubtedly harsh on Greenwood. It’s a more attacking XI from the hosts, so perhaps they will revert to Greenwood and Bright later in the tournament against tougher opposition.
07:10 PM
Have you tried out our Euro 2022 predictor yet?
07:09 PM
Austria’s starting line-up
07:08 PM
Secret weapons and sell-out crowds: What England need to do to win the Euros
With sold-out stadiums for games like the opener at Old Trafford – a new experience for the women’s game in this country – these England players are going to have to support each other more than ever before.
If England go one or two goals down after 15 minutes against a team like Germany, is the environment prepared for the reaction of a packed quarter-final crowd suddenly falling silent?
Our Euro 2022 columnist, Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes, analyses the key areas in England’s tilt at the trophy.
07:04 PM
And here come the visitors
07:00 PM
The team news in full
Starting XI: Mary Earps (GK), Lucy Bronze, Rachel Daly, Keira Walsh, Millie Bright, Beth Mead, Leah Williamson (c), Ellen White, Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp, Fran Kirby
Subs: Alex Greenwood, Jess Carter, Hannah Hampton (GK), Demi Stokes, Jill Scott, Nikita Parris, Chloe Kelly, Bethany England, Ella Toone, Ellie Roebuck (GK), Lotte Wubben-Moy, Alessia Russo
Just two changes from starting line-up in England’s last warm-up match against Switzerland at the end of June: Bronze back in the starting XI after missing the match due to injury, which sends Greenwood to the bench, and White returns to the No. 9 spot, for Russo.
06:51 PM
Spotted: Lionesses
06:47 PM
Your England starting XI
06:46 PM
More than an hour to go
… but the fans are already getting in the competition spirit.
06:41 PM
Good evening
Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live coverage of Euro 2022, and the tournament’s opening match: hosts England versus Austria at Old Trafford.
There is no little expectation on England’s shoulders. Much has been said about the impact of the home crowd, with 500,000 tickets sold and many matches, including tonight’s opener, sold out. But speaking ahead of the opener, captain Leah Williamson asserted that excitement, rather than nerves, is the prevailing emotion within the England camp.
“We’ve put in the work over the last few weeks and ticked the boxes we needed to. We know what it is and what to expect. We’re ready for it,” she said.
“Everybody has their own things in place to deal with it. Pressure is a privilege and we are embracing it. It comes with the job but it doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it at the same time.
“We’re not robots. There will be nerves. We’re aware of the expectation. Within the camp it’s about the excitement and enjoying it.
“This is my job. If I wasn’t ready for tomorrow and wasn’t excited for tomorrow then why would I do it.”
England are one of the competition’s favourites, their 23-player squad stuffed with in-form talent and led by coach Sarina Wiegman, who managed the Netherlands to European victory in 2017. Wiegman, who took over managing the Lionesses in September 2021, has seen them undefeated under her reign, which has included winning the Arnold Clark Cup in February, and they go into the competition having won their last six matches.
Austria, who make up England’s Group A with Norway and Northern Ireland, are taking place in their second Euros, having reached the semi-finals upon their debut in 2017.
Wiegman’s players will have to unpick a stubborn defense moored by Arsenal goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger, who oversaw the highest number of clean sheets in 2021/22 WSL, and club teammate Laura Wienrother. They will also have to stay vigilant against Austrian counterattack, and strikers like Hoffenheim’s Nicole Billa. But the sheer number of creative options that England has at its disposal, as well as the confidence the team will have coming off a successful run of warm-up matches ahead of the competition, should have the packed Old Trafford crowd in high spirits and full voice.
Kick off is at 8pm, but we’ll be bringing you all the atmosphere, comment and coverage until, and throughout, the long-awaited first match of Euro 2022.
