Women's Euro 2022: Austria book quarterfinal slot, England thrash Northern Ireland

Austria`s striker Nicole Billa (C) celebrates after scoring her first team goal during the UEFA Women`s Euro 2022 Group A football match between Austria and Norway at Brighton and Hove Community Stadium in Brighton, Southern England. Pic/AFP

A goal from Nicole Billa helped Austria book a Euro 2022 quarterfinal clash with Germany, defeating Norway by a margin of 1-0 here at The Falmer Stadium on Friday.

With this loss, Norway has been eliminated from the competition. A draw would have been enough for the Norwegians to secure a runners-up spot in Group A but could not get it. They failed to bounce back from their 8-0 defeat to England.

Austria could not take a lead in the 12th minute when Petterson fumbled Laura Feiersinger's shot onto her crossbar before the skipper Maren Mjelde scrambled the ball away.

After a bad start, Norway tried easing themselves but the striker Ada Hegerberg or winger Guro Reiten could not get the ball enough to cause damage to their opponent.

Pettersen denied Billa a goal eleven minutes before half-time. But she could not do much to keep the striker away from scoring as her header from Verena Hanshaw's 37th-minute cross helped Austria clinch the lead.

Austrians tried looking forward to adding to their lead rather than fumbling it in the second half.

Pettersen made saves from attempts from Barbara Dunst, Billa, Julia Hickelsberger-Fuller and substitute Lisa Makas in quick succession to keep Austria away from a double lead but they could not add anything to their own goal count, losing the game 1-0.

Also on Friday, Alessia Russo's double in the second half helped England thrash Northern Ireland in their final group stage game of Euro 2022 at Saint Mary's Stadium on Saturday.

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Even the absence of manager Sarina Wiegman due to Covid-19 could not do much to affect England's game as they ran riot on their opposition.

Drama started five minutes into the game when England was awarded a penalty after Georgia Stanway's shot hit Laura Rafferty on her arm. After a lengthy VAR review, the penalty was ruled out.

For 40 minutes, it looked like Northern Ireland was in a position to frustrate their opponents. England was being wasteful with their chances. Lauren Wade looked lethal, fired into the net of his opponent in the first half, but Mary Earps' save did not really make him look threatening.

In the 40th minute, Fran Kirby finally made it 1-0 in the favour of England. Beth Mead scored her fifth goal of the competition just four minutes later, firing a low, hard shot at the near post that took a nick off sliding Rachel Furness. It saw her goalkeeper Jackie Burns wrong-footed and England doubled their lead.

Three minutes after half-time, Russo fired another goal, nodding home Mead's cross as the winger added an assist to her evening's performance. Russo followed it with another goal just five minutes later. She picked up a cross from Toone, got better of defenders and hammered the ball past Burns.

Kelsie Burrows added another goal to England's tally by an unfortunate own goal. Her attempt to stop Mead's cross from finding Chloe Kelly backfired as she netted the ball past her own goalkeeper.

England will finish the group stage with a 100 per cent record.

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