It was an emphatic start to 2024 for Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses as they swept Austria aside in Algeciras. Braces from Alessia Russo and Beth Mead and goals from Grace Clinton, Jess Carter and Rachel Daly saw them earn a 7-2 victory.
“Relentless”, “attacking” and “exciting” were just a few of the words Gemma Davies, England U19s manager, used to describe her group of players on the eve of their first international championship. They showed these characteristics in abundance in a winning opening display – a 4-1 victory against Norway – that will have instilled a huge amount of confidence in this young side.