Alessia Russo and Mead at the double in Lionesses’ 7-2 mauling of Austria

Alessia Russo gets England off to a flying start against Austria in the third minute. Photograph: Fran Santiago/The FA/Getty Images

England’s fresh start, as they prepare to get their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign under way in April, kicked off in style with this thrashing of Austria. Alessia Russo and Beth Mead scored twice, Grace Clinton got a debut goal, Jess Carter scored a backheel and Rachel Daly fired in late on as Sarina Wiegman tried out a number of players who have sat on the fringes of a squad that has moved from tournament to tournament with little room for experimentation.

If the Lionesses have enjoyed the luxuries of a seafront Marbella hotel this week, arriving at the Estadio Nuevo Mirador was a more humbling experience. Around 950 fans had made the trip to Algeciras, about an hour’s drive south of Marbella, and were treated to a downpour that saw many retreat from the uncovered stand long before the end of the first half, while the covered stand opposite remained mostly empty. The Lionesses’ decision to host Austria in a friendly at a ground so difficult to get to – and more akin to stadiums they were forced into pre-professionalism – was an odd one.

Wiegman’s side brought style and flair to the drab surroundings though, and Russo’s goal in the third minute ensured the fans caught at least one Euro 2022 winner getting on the scoresheet. The Arsenal forward spun and found her clubmate Mead. Her shot was parried by Manuela Zinsberger but Russo was there to turn in.

There were four changes to the team which had put six past Scotland in December but failed to progress to the Nations League finals and earn Olympic qualification. One was enforced late on, with Fran Kirby withdrawn as a precaution after the warm-up with an aggravation of her knee injury. Ella Toone replaced her, while Hannah Hampton started in goal.

Maya Le Tissier began the game at right-back in place of Lucy Bronze and Manchester United midfielder Clinton, who is on loan at Tottenham, was handed her debut.

Clinton went close to scoring in the 16th minute, hitting a left-footed effort off the inside of the crossbar. She would only have to wait three minutes for a dream scenario though, as she artfully headed in Lauren Hemp’s cross from the left.

England had won all nine of their meetings with Austria by a bruising aggregate of 25-1 prior to kick-off and they were poor here, looking a shadow of the side that really tested England in the opening game of Euro 22 at Old Trafford – a Mead goal the only thing to separate the two sides. Despite England’s dominance, Austria exposed a weakness from set pieces to pull one back, Virginia Kirchberger heading in from a corner on her 99th appearance.

The Lionesses picked up where they left off though, restoring their two-goal lead before the break, Mead powering her shot home after cutting inside.

Wiegman made two half-time changes, as she continued to take advantage of friendlies to experiment. “This is the start, with two friendlies, which is really good for us because we can try out some things,” she had said. Lotte Wubben-Moy entered the fray in place of Alex Greenwood, while Lauren James, who was involved in five of England’s nine goals across their two December games, replaced Hemp.

Only a fine point-blank stop from Zinsberger denied Le Tissier from extending their lead early in the second half. Just past the hour mark though, Russo grabbed her second, firing home from inside the box. There were three more changes almost immediately after that, with Russo replaced by Daly and Jess Park and Carter coming on.

Carter added to England’s goal tally within seven minutes of stepping on to the pitch, a slick backheel bamboozling Zinsberger. Kirchberger provided another headed goal from a corner to show England exactly where the defensive gaps are – though they are missing their first-choice centre-back pairing Leah Williamson and Millie Bright.

However, a minute later James raced clear and hit a low shot off the bottom of the post that Mead powered in on the rebound. The substitute Daly added a seventh, sprinting free through the middle before powering a venomous strike past Zinsberger. Job done, new combinations tested, there were a lot of positives from England’s first game of 2024 – how they deal with set pieces and stiffer opposition are questions that can be answered at a later date.