Grace Clinton scored on her international debut and Alessia Russo and Beth Mead each struck twice as England hammered Austria 7-2 in a friendly.
Twenty-year-old Clinton, the Man Utd midfielder on loan at Tottenham, seized her chance with a standout performance in a rain-soaked Marbella, heading in from Lauren Hemp’s cross, moments after smashing a shot against the inside of a post.
By that point, England were already a goal to the good, thanks to Russo reacting quickest to tuck in the rebound to Mead’s cross-shot from close range with just three minutes on the clock.
That fast start was undermined when Virginia Kirchberger headed in from Austria’s first corner of the game on the half-hour and she would nod in a late consolation, too. But England’s answer to that first setback was good, with Mead bending in a swift response.
Russo’s second of the night – courtesy of England winning the ball back high up the pitch – underlined the European champions’ dominance as they kept the pressure on in the second half before Jess Carter flicked in a wonderful fifth.
Alessia Russo (right) converted the rebound from Beth Mead’s cross-shot early on against Austria
There was a late flurry of goals with Mead and Rachel Daly striking on the counter-attack after Kirchberger’s second of the night gave Wiegman something to think about on the training ground ahead of England’s next friendly with Italy on Tuesday.
But after a frustrating 2023, which saw England lose in the final of the Women’s World Cup and miss out on Olympic qualification with their Nations League performance, this win and performance was a welcome boost, with qualifiers for Euro 2025 to come later in the year.
How England put seven past Austria…
Neither of these sides will be at the Olympics but England’s superior quality was plain to see from the first whistle, with Mead charging into the area before forcing Austria and Arsenal goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger to parry the ball into the path of the on-rushing Russo.
Their second came from the other flank, with Hemp beating her marker too easily before standing the ball up for Clinton to head in. It capped a super start to her first England appearance for the youngster, who had drawn gasps from the small crowd in attendance in the south of Spain when she crashed a shot against the woodwork soon after the opener.
With the rain beginning to fall hard, though, Austria struck back with an unexpected response. Alex Greenwood’s mistake gave them the opportunity from the set-piece and Wiegman’s frustration was evident as Kirchberger got in between Russo and Clinton to head home.
England stepped it up another level. Shots from Ella Toone and Russo (twice) stung the hands of Zinsberger before Mead latched onto a loose ball in the box after Russo’s miscue to convert her country’s third.
Beth Mead bends in England’s third goal of the night against Austria
The Lionesses kept the pressure on after the break, with Toone prodding wide, Le Tissier and sub Lotte Wubben-Moy seeing headers from corners saved, and Stanway forcing Zinsberger to tip over.
That relentlessness eventually told when Stanway dispossessed Sarah Zadrazil as Austria tried to play out from the back and put it on a plate for Russo.
Carter’s finish was perhaps the best of the night, a classy clip with her backheel to turn in Wubben-Moy’s header from a corner. Her celebration was modest. It was all too easy for England. But the scoring was far from over.
Jess Carter flicks in England’s fifth against Austria
Set-piece defending will surely be on the agenda for the Lionesses in the coming days – Kirchberger eventually got above Esme Morgan to head in from a short corner with two minutes of normal time remaining.
But England’s attacking prowess was the story of the night, with sub Lauren James racing past three defenders before her shot deflected into the path of Mead seconds after Austria’s goal, and another replacement, Rachel Daly, made sure she wasn’t left out, beating the offside trap to blast in a seventh in Spain.
Clinton: It’s what dreams are made of
England debutant and goalscorer Grace Clinton to ITV Sport:
“It’s what dreams are made of. I’m very happy. I didn’t know it [the goal] would be with my head, I’m just absolutely buzzing.
“Definitely [the best moment of my career], going into the game, it was probably the biggest game of my career so far. For it to go like that, I’m very happy.
“Sarina told me at the start of the week that she was going to try me as an eight. I’m open to a challenge. It’s nice to be deeper and getting on the ball. To be there with G and Tooney, they were helping me out a lot which helped.
“It’s so competitive, there are so many great players in the squad. To be around them is an unbelievable experience. To be competing in there is what you want to be doing.
“My mum and dad flew out this morning to watch the game, I can’t wait to see them.”
What’s next?
England will play another friendly in this international break, facing Italy on Tuesday; kick-off 5pm.
