Euro 2022: England squeaks by Austria behind Beth Mead goal

England won the Women’s European Championship opener Wednesday thanks to a goal from Beth Mead that put the tournament hosts ahead of Austria 1-0.

The goal came in the 16th minute off an assist from Fran Kirby. While there was some question about whether or not the ball crossed the goal line, a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check revealed that it had.

A sold-out crowd of 68,871 fans turned out to watch England in the opener in its first time hosting the tournament since 2005, setting a record in attendance for a Women’s European Championship game.

That number likely will be broken before the tournament’s end, however, as matches like the final at Wembley (capacity 90,000) are also sold out.

Before the match began, players could be seen kneeling as a protest against racism and discrimination.

During the match, there were a few close calls, as England put four shots on goal to Austria’s two. Ultimately, English goalkeeper Mary Earps secured the clean sheet.