England vs Austria LIVE: Euro 2022 result, final score and reaction as Beth Mead wins it for Lionesses

Miedema was certainly one of the stars of the last Euros, netting four times in the knockout rounds, including twice in the final, as a Netherlands side managed by current England boss Sarina Wiegman claimed the trophy on home soil.

As well as being her country’s all-time top scorer, the Arsenal striker is also the WSL’s record holder with 74 goals. Fourteen of those came last season, after which she ended uncertainty about her future by signing a new contract with the Gunners.

The Liverpool midfielder is the most prominent figure in a Northern Ireland outfit making history as they embark upon the team’s major tournament debut.

Having helped them secure their Euros spot via a play-off triumph over Ukraine in April last year, Furness, 34, then became her country’s record scorer as her tally moved to 38 in a November win against North Macedonia, and was subsequently named BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year.

Her 2021-22 concluded with Liverpool having sealed promotion back to the Women’s Super League.

Hosts England have a formidable attack and one of the players to have frequently shone within it is Manchester City winger Hemp.

The 21-year-old, who was part of Great Britain’s side at the Tokyo Olympics last summer, heads into her first major tournament with the Lionesses after a season in which she broke her duck for the team – in her 14th cap – when notching four times against Latvia last November, and registered 21 goals and 10 assists for City. S

he was named PFA young player of the year for a third successive season and fourth time in total.

The only man to fire England to a major trophy believes Euros success for the Lionesses this summer could have a huge impact on the development of the women’s game in the country.

It is 56 years since Sir Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick as England beat West Germany 4-2 at Wembley to lift the World Cup.

Since 1966, England’s men have failed to add to that success – with their penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy in last year’s Euro 2020 final the closest they have come.

Now the women’s team have a chance to make an impact on home soil as they head into the Euros as one of the favourites.

Sarina Wiegman’s side approach the finals in fine form and will have the backing of the crowds as they look to win their first piece of major silverware.

Beth Mead admits she might not be the player she is now had it not been for the disappointment she suffered last summer when she missed out on the Olympics.

The England winger is heading into the home Euros – getting under way on Wednesday – in superb form, with a brace in the recent warm-up win over the Netherlands taking her to 14 Lionesses goals since the start of the 2021-22 season.

Her fine form across the campaign, also featuring 11 goals and eight assists in the Women’s Super League for Arsenal, came after she failed to make the cut for Great Britain’s squad for the Tokyo Olympics.

Mead has spoken previously about having “channelled the negative energy into positive energy from last summer”.

And ahead of England playing Austria at Old Trafford in the opening game of the Euros, the 27-year-old said: “Obviously it was disappointing last summer, but would I be the player I am today if that didn’t happen? Maybe not.”

England kick off their Women’s European Championship adventure in Manchester against Austria this evening, with former international goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis believing home advantage could play a crucial role.

Sarina Wiegman’s team will be hoping to go the distance and earn Wembley glory over the coming weeks.

And with over half a million tickets already sold for the tournament, they are set to play in packed stadiums the length of the country, which Brown-Finnis believes will be a new challenge for some players at Euro 2022.

England’s players, though, should revel in the support and harness the excitement it generates.

“The fact it’s on home turf, not only will it suit them, it will have an advantage because it will give them a little bit of extra motivation, a little bit of extra buzz about seeing 75,000 kids with their faces painted and [fans] wearing their shirts,” Brown-Finnis, who won 82 caps, told BoyleSports Euro 2022.

Defender Abbie Magee says Northern Ireland must use their landmark appearance at Euro 2022 to inspire future generations by showing that “anything is possible”.

Kenny Shiels’ side take on former world champions Norway on Thursday evening in Southampton in what will be a first major tournament outing for the women’s team.

Northern Ireland are the competition’s lowest-ranked nation and face a considerable challenge to progress from a group which also contains Austria and hosts England.

Cliftonville player Magee is determined to seize the opportunity to make a lasting impression on young people in her homeland, including the travelling fans.

Ellen White will again turn off her social media accounts this week ahead of the Women’s European Championship starting but is hopeful EE’s new campaign to tackle online sexism will help make a difference.

The 33-year-old is no stranger to ditching Twitter and Instagram before a major tournament having done the same for the Olympics last year and the 2019 World Cup.

White was among the best performers at both competitions, but it has not stopped her being on the end of abuse on social media.

It is a similar story for men and women footballers up and down the country, which is why EE has unveiled its Hope United 2022 side who tackle sexist hate online.

“The nature of playing football, you do obviously get those comments that aren’t the nicest to see or witness,” White told the PA news agency.

Austria head coach Irene Fuhrmann knows only a flawless display will give her side any hope of pulling off a sensational victory over hosts England in the opening match of Euro 2022 at Old Trafford.

The Lionesses head into the tournament as favourites and will be cheered on by a partisan sell-out crowd on Wednesday night.

Fuhrmann is well aware of the challenge facing her squad in the first Group A fixture, but remains determined for England not to have it all their own way.

“On paper, anything but a win by England would not just be a surprise, but a sensation,” Fuhrmann said. “England are very robust, determined, have high offensive quality and are the top favourites for the European Championship title for me.

“But we are happy that we were given this fixture because it will be a unique experience. We want to draw as much energy as possible from this atmosphere.”

England expects, as usual, but this time may have good reason to, writes Northern Football Correspondent Mark Critchley.

Sarina Wiegman’s side are one of several in the open field of favourites for the Women’s European Championship. But when the competition is this tight, home advantage could be critical. And until a potential Wembley final at the end of this month, that advantage will never be more keenly felt than in the curtain raiser against Austria, to be played in front of a capacity 74,120 crowd at Old Trafford.

Things should at least go better than the last time the tournament was on these shores in 2005. Hope Powell’s Lionesses won their opening group game on the other side of town at the City of Manchester Stadium but lost their remaining two and exited early. With crowds twice the size now set to turn out to watch, the excitement, hype and expectation is of an altogether greater magnitude 17 years later. English women’s football is in a much stronger place, as are England themselves.