Women's EURO 2022: England vs Austria match facts, stats, ones to watch

England vs Austria: Head-to-head

• The Lionesses will be aiming to become the third nation to win the tournament in front of their own fans since the group stage was introduced in 1997, after Germany (2001) and the Netherlands last time out – who were coached by current England boss Sarina Wiegman.
• Austria have lost all their seven previous meetings against their opening opponents in Group A, scoring just one goal and conceding 22. England have kept a clean sheet in each of the last six encounters, since a 4-1 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying victory in Amstetten in September 2005.
• The most recent fixture between the teams came in November 2021 in Sunderland in a preliminary for the 2023 Women's World Cup, England's Ellen White scoring the only goal just before half-time. The two will resume their rivalry for top spot in that particular section in September.
• England, who were eliminated in the last four of EURO 2017 by Wiegman's Netherlands, have been knocked out in the group stage in three of their last five EURO appearances, including as hosts in 2005.
• The Lionesses have twice been beaten EURO finalists, losing via a penalty shoot-out following a two-legged tie against Sweden in the inaugural tournament in 1984 before Hope Powell's team suffered an emphatic 6-2 defeat at the hands of Germany in the 2009 edition.
• Austria reached their first UEFA Women's EURO tournament five years ago, the debutants eventually eliminated in the last four via spot kicks following a goalless draw with Denmark in Breda.
• Irene Fuhrmann's side clinched their place at a second successive final tournament by finishing as runners-up in Group G behind France, collecting 19 points from their eight matches. They dropped points only against Les Bleues (0-0 h, 0-3 a), the defeat in Guingamp in November 2020 the only game in which they conceded a goal.

Ones to watch: England

England's Lucy BronzeAFP via Getty Images

Lucy Bronze

• The 30-year-old was named in the UEFA Team of the Tournament at EURO 2017, along with England colleagues Steph Houghton and Jodie Taylor.
• The full-back scored England's second goal in the 3-0 friendly win against Austria at Milton Keynes in April 2017.
• Bronze became the first defender to be named UEFA Women's Player of the Year, in 2018/19.
• The right-back, whose move to Barcelona from Manchester City was confirmed on 18 June, was part of the England side that won the UEFA Women's European Under-19 Championship in 2009.

Beth Mead

• The 27-year-old has scored 12 times in qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, fewer only than Belgium's Tessa Wullaert (15).
• Mead became the first woman to score a hat-trick at Wembley in October's 4-0 victory against Northern Ireland, who are also in Group A at these finals, on 23 October.
• The forward scored twice on her first England start, a 6-0 2019 Women's World Cup qualifying win in Kazakhstan in September 2018.
• Mead was named Arsenal's player of the season for 2021/22 after contributing 11 league goals plus eight assists as the Gunners finished second in the FA Women's Super League.

Ellen White

• The 33-year-old surpassed Kelly Smith's national record of 46 goals with a hat-trick in the Women's World Cup qualifying victory against Latvia in November.
• The forward took her England goal tally to 50 with a strike in the World Cup qualifying success against North Macedonia on 8 April.
• The Manchester City attacker made her senior international debut against Austria, scoring after coming on as a substitute in the 3-0 Women's World Cup qualifying win in London in March 2010.
• White has struck in all four of her appearances against Austria, including on her landmark 100th England cap on 27 November.

Ones to watch: Austria

Austria's Nicole BillaGetty Images

Nicole Billa

• The 26-year-old was Austria's top scorer in qualifying for Women's EURO 2022, hitting seven goals in her eight appearances – including a hat-trick against Kazakhstan in November 2019.
• The two-time Austria Player of the Year has also been in sparkling form in the preliminaries for the 2023 Women's World Cup, hitting ten goals in seven outings.
• Billa started all five of Austria's matches at EURO 2017 but is still to score at the tournament.
• The Hoffenheim attacker ended the 2020/21 campaign as the Frauen-Bundesliga's top scorer with 23 goals.

Carina Wenninger

• The 31-year-old was one of three outfield players to play every game in Austria's run to the semi-finals of EURO 2017, along with Verena Aschauer and Laura Feiersinger.
• Wenninger also played every minute of Austria's eight qualifiers as they secured their place at this tournament, winning her 100th cap in the win against Serbia in December 2020.
• The defender made her senior international debut aged 16 in May 2007, in a UEFA Women's EURO 2009 qualifying defeat against Poland.
• The centre-back is approaching 15 years with Bayern München having joined the German club in summer 2007.

Manuela Zinsberger

• The goalkeeper played every minute at EURO 2017 as debutants Austria reached the last four, saving spot kicks in the shoot-outs against Spain and Denmark.
• The 26-year-old's tally of four clean sheets at EURO 2017 was the joint most in the tournament, along with the Netherlands' Sari van Veenendaal.
• Zinsberger has just completed her third campaign with FA Women's Super League side Arsenal, recording a league-high 13 clean sheets in 2021/22.
• Among her Arsenal team-mates are England squad members Lotte Wubben-Moy, Leah Williamson, Nikita Parris and Beth Mead.