The Lionesses secured their place at next summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand with victory in their first game since their European Championship final heroics in July. Goals in either half from Alessia Russo and Nikita Parris, who scored her first England goal since September last year, helped England navigate past a tricky Austria seeking to upset the narrative. England top qualifying Group D ahead of Austria, having scored 70 goals and conceded none with a game to play.
Sarina Wiegman had said the day before the game that she had made up her mind about who would lead the line for England in place of Ellen White. She did not want to share who had been selected to occupy the starting berth of the Lionesses’ retired record goalscorer but there was little doubt it would be Russo.
