Russo 3 61, Clinton 19, Mead 37 89, Carter 70, Daly 90+3; Kirchberger 30 88Grace Clinton scores on her full England debut
England’s fresh start, as they prepare to get their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign under way in April, kicked off in style with this thrashing of Austria. Alessia Russo and Beth Mead scored twice, Grace Clinton got a debut goal, Jess Carter scored a backheel and Rachel Daly fired in late on as Sarina Wiegman tried out a number of players who have sat on the fringes of a squad that has moved from tournament to tournament with little room for experimentation.
If the Lionesses have enjoyed the luxuries of a seafront Marbella hotel this week, arriving at the Estadio Nuevo Mirador was a more humbling experience. Around 950 fans had made the trip to Algeciras, about an hour’s drive south of Marbella, and were treated to a downpour that saw many retreat from the uncovered stand long before the end of the first half, while the covered stand opposite remained mostly empty. The Lionesses’ decision to host Austria in a friendly at a ground so difficult to get to – and more akin to stadiums they were forced into pre-professionalism – was an odd one.