MANCHESTER, England -- The roads around Old Trafford were gridlocked in the buildup to kick-off, and men in hi-vis jackets were charging £20 and more for spaces on waste ground that had been turned into popup car parks for the night. This is what usually happens when Manchester United play at home, but the fact that this was for an England women's game was a clear indication of the incredible growth of the sport and why Euro 2022 is set to break all kinds of records.
On the pitch, a 16th-minute goal by Beth Mead was enough to seal a 1-0 win for the Lionesses in the tournament opener against Austria and ensure that Sarina Wiegman's team justified their status as one of the favourites to win the tournament (stream the replay in the U.