England women player ratings vs Austria: Alessia Russo & Georgia Stanway star while Grace Clinton impresses on debut as Lionesses blow away underwhelm
On Friday, Sarina Wiegman made some alterations and most likely had a positive reaction when observing Mary Earps, Lucy Bronze, and others from the sidelines.
The first match of the year for the English women's soccer team didn't turn out the way they expected. They were preparing for a difficult challenge against Austria, who left a great impression during the 2022 European Championships. However, heavy rain disrupted their practice schedule in Algeciras, and it seemed to have affected their opponents more. The match ended with a decisive 7-2 victory for Sarina Wiegman's squad as Austria crumbled under pressure.
England had no trouble getting the first goal, with Alessia Russo starting the play and then capitalizing on the rebound of Beth Mead's saved shot. Grace Clinton, who was making her debut, scored just minutes after hitting the post. Even though Austria's game was inconsistent and unorganized, they did manage to showcase their skills at times and scored a great header from Virginia Kirchberger, leaving England's goalkeeper, Hannah Hampton, with no opportunity to save.
Nevertheless, while Austria did have some drawbacks, England should be commended for their performance with a less conventional starting roster, even if it was the usual suspects who sealed the victory. Mead effortlessly curled in the third goal, Stanway's aggressive approach set up Russo for a double, and Jess Carter even came on as a substitute to score an improbable goal with a clever flick.
Towards the end of the match, there were some exciting moments just like when it began. Kirchberger from Austria scored another goal close to the end of the match, and then Mead took advantage of Lauren James' excellent work on the field. Lastly, Rachel Daly finished off the game with an impressive and forceful shot.
The players from England were assessed and rated by GOAL at Estadio Nuevo Mirador.
