We Have Kick-Off! (Group A: England 1-0 Austria)

England’s tournament begins with a slightly nervy 1-0 win over Austria at Old Trafford before a competition-record crowd of 68,871 in the drizzle, and She Kicks reports the occasion as the bigger story than the football. Beth Mead settles it on sixteen minutes with a neat lob that just crosses the line, and describes waiting for the flag before deciding to chip Manuela Zinsberger rather than shoot low. Player of the match Georgia Stanway says she enjoyed the rough and tumble, credits Austria for pushing England out of their comfort zone, and admits it only registered as a good game when the bench came over. Mary Earps notes that packed crowds make communication almost impossible, and Sarina Wiegman is unsentimental: rushed in the final third, but three points.