England got their quest for Euro 2022 glory off to a winning start as Beth Mead’s goal earned a 1-0 victory over Austria in front of a record crowd of 69,000 at Old Trafford.
The attendance smashed the previous best for a match at the women’s European Championship by nearly 30,000.
And the vast majority inside the Theatre of Dreams got what they wanted to see in an England victory even if Sarina Wiegman’s women failed to hit top gear against a side ranked 21st in the world.
Home advantage is just one of the reasons why England are considered among the favourites to win their first ever major tournament in the women’s game.
Wiegman, who led the Netherlands to victory at Euro 2017, is now unbeaten in 15 games since taking charge in September.