Hinderwell hot-shot Beth Mead nets winner as England sink Austria in Euro 2022 opener

In front of a competition-record crowd of 68,871 generating a pulsating atmosphere, Mead, from Whitby, caused the noise levels to go up even further when she continued her fine goalscoring form by putting the Lionesses in front in the 16th minute, and this was enough to earn all three points for the hosts.

Having extended their unbeaten record under boss Sarina Wiegman with a 13th victory in 15 games, England will continue their Group A fixtures next Monday when they take on Norway at the Amex Stadium.

The Lionesses will then head to St Mary's Stadium, Southampton for their final group game against Northern ireland on Friday July 15.

Last night's clever lobbed goal takes Mead's tally to 15 goals in 15 appearances for her country since the start of 2021, and she was one of the star players at Old Trafford.

The goal last night has further extended a record that she broke at Elland Road against The Netherlands last month.

On that night, Mead’s brace of goals in the Lionesses’ 5-1 hammering of the defending European champions saw her break a long-lasting record set by the legendary Jimmy Greaves.

These goals were the Arsenal Ladies forward’s 13th and 14th goal for her country since the start of the 2021/22 season, meaning she broke a 61-year record held by Greaves for the most international goals scored in one season.

Just three months ago, Mead scored four goals in a 10-0 thrashing of North Macedonia to take England to within touching distance of qualifying for the World Cup, and also netted a 14-minute hat-trick at Wembley last October in the victory against Northern Ireland..