Playing in front of a raucous 68,871 fans, a record breaking crowd for a women’s European Championships, Sarina Wiegman’s much-fancied side scored the winner after just 16 minutes through Arsenal’s Beth Mead.
A tense encounter followed, but England did enough to claim the three points and take a crucial first step towards the knockout stages.
Hemp, Walsh and White all started on the night, with Hemp and Walsh playing the full match. Kelly was a second half substitute as the Lionesses looked to stretch the game and seal the win.
Still settling in to their surroundings, England’s winner came early on when Mead nudged the ball beyond goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger with just enough power to cross the line before it could be cleared by a covering defender.
There followed a worrying moment for England fans, as VAR checked the validity of the goal-line technology’s call, but it was short-lived and England’s lead remained intact.
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White, the all-time record goalscorer for the Lionesses, had a golden chance midway through the half - supplied by left winger Hemp - but the striker flashed her header just beyond the far post.
Although England struggled to match their expansive football from the warm-up fixtures, they ended the first half with two neat moves involving all three starting City players.
The first, started by Walsh in the centre circle, resulted in a Hemp cross that White couldn’t divert home. The second ended with Hemp, now on the right, denied by the Austria and Arsenal shot-stopper Zinsberger.
The Lionesses, who are often stronger in the second half, pushed for the second after the restart, but found stubborn and spirited resistance from the travelling side.
Walsh, a lifelong City fan playing this match at the home of our Club’s cross-city rivals, was key to almost every England move, spraying the ball wide and high up the pitch from her deep midfield position.
Kelly, who was one of three players introduced on the hour mark, and Hemp were the main beneficiaries of that vision.
The young wingers drove at the tiring Austria defence over and over again and had England’s best chances of the second half, with Kelly pulling her shot wide and Hemp stinging the palms of Zinsberger.
Austria, the 2017 semi-finalists, pushed for an equaliser as the final whistle approached but a solid if unspectacular England had enough to complete the job.
England’s next match is on Monday 11 July, when they face Norway in Brighton. They will then complete the group stage against Northern Ireland at Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium on 15 July.
Full England team v Austria: Earps, Bronze, Bright, Williamson, Daly, Walsh, Stanway, Kirby (Toone), Mead (Kelly), Hemp, White (Russo)
