Ellen White scores the winner, as England make it five wins in five group games to edge closer to a place in the 2023 World Cup.
England
Mary Earps: 6.5
She wasn’t called upon many times in the first-half, but proved very attentive after the break, stopping in quick succession two efforts by Barbara Dunst and Maria Plattner.
It was an important contribution, that prevented England from suffering a shock second-half start.
Demi Stokes: 6
A quiet performance, with a few early struggles. Overall, it was a better second-half, in which she could enjoy more space as England looked set to control the game.
(92nd Jess Carter: N/A)
Alex Greenwood: 6.5
A tidy performance, calm as you like, to keep quiet a prolific goalscorer like Nicole Billa. Together with Millie Bright, she made sure England had very few defensive slips.
Millie Bright: 6.5
After being selected as team captain, she went very close to scoring on two occasions. Her first effort was stopped on the line and a second long-range shot wasn’t far off. It was also a very organised defensive display.
Rachel Daly: 7
Rachel Daly was very active going forward and combined on multiple chances with Fran Kirby, making England’s right-hand side far the most dangerous. She went very close to scoring, with Manuela Zinsberger called up to a wonderful save to deny the right-back.
Ella Toone: 6
After coming off a hat-trick in the last game against Latvia, Ella Toone was relatively quiet and didn’t offer the contribution expected. She was England’s first substitution, giving way to Georgia Stanway after an hour.
(62nd Georgia Stanway: 6)
She came on the pitch willing to make her mark and was very active in the final 30 minutes.
Keira Walsh: 6
She wasn’t very active going forward, limiting herself to the duty of a holding midfielder. She positioned in front of the defence and made no particular errors, helping to keep Austria quiet.
Fran Kirby: 7.5
The player of the match for the game. She was incredibly participating, with nearly all of England’s build-up play passing through her feet. She was dangerous from the corner-flag and assisted the goal for White. An all-round superb game from the Chelsea player.
Lauren Hemp: 6.5
Lauren Hemp had a quiet second-half, after proving able to find some space early on in the game. She lacked end product, as her deliveries weren’t always precise, although she played a part in England’s goal.
Ellen White: 7
She scored the only goal of the game, deciding the match in England’s favour. Although she wasn’t particularly sharp on other occasions, this is just what you would want from a striker in such a close game.
Beth Mead: 7
She combined perfectly with Kirby and Daly, offering various options across the game. Beth Mead was very active and had her chance to score, but was denied brilliantly by Zinsberger.
(70th Nikita Parris: 6.5)
She came on with the right attitude, willing to prove a point. Despite being only on for 20 minutes, she had a lot of the ball and tried to create chances.
Austria
Manuela Zinsberger: 7
The Arsenal goalkeeper tried her best to keep her side in the game, making multiple saves, of which some difficult ones on Kirby and Daly.
Laura Wienroither: 6
England were dangerous going forward, but Laura Wienroither ensured that few dangers came from her side and she managed to keep Hemp quiet for most of the game.
Carina Wenninger: 5.5
A very organised performance when trying to mark White, anticipating her multiple times. However, her participation in England’s goal was determining. Her poor clearance allowed the ball to come through and her positioning was questionable, with the striker left free to score in the box.
Virginia Kirchberger: 5.5
Austria failed to close down England and Virginia Kirchberger struggled in defence. She also gifted England a precious opportunity, with a poor pass that Hemp intercepted, but failed to convert.
Verena Hanshaw: 6
Although England were very active on her side, she was often left alone and without support. In fact, she resisted quite well, doing her best to defend when attacked one v one.
Sarah Zadrazil: 5
Austria were dominated in midfield and she was kept quiet, struggling to have possession.
Sarah Puntingam: 5
Not much better than her fellow midfielder Sarah Zardazil. She struggled all-round, and offered very little attacking contribution.
Maria Plattner: 5.5
She was the most active of the midfield trio and was participant in Austria’s biggest threat of the game. Although she forced Earps to a brilliant save, it was a position in which she should have scored.
(89th Marie-Therese Hobinger: N/A)
Barbara Dunst: 6
Even if her overall contribution wasn’t magnificent, she was the most active of the front trio. She proved to be the only one who found some space and she almost caught off Earbs with one of Austria’s few chances of the game.
Nicole Billa: 5
A difficult game from the striker, who was coming off seven goals in four qualifying games. She found it hard to make it past the duo of Bright and Alex Greenwood and didn’t have a say in the match.
(87th Stefanie Enzinger: N/A)
Katharina Naschenweng: 5.5
A few options and initiatives early on, but as the game went by, Katharina Naschenweng was forced more on her defensive duties and wasn’t too dangerous when attacking.
(60th Katja Wienerroither: 5)
There was little contribution from the sub, who was booked within minutes of coming on and was kept quiet for the last half-four.
