Manchester throws party for England to kick off Women's Euro 2022 in the only way it knows how

In typical Manchester fashion, the heavens opened an hour before England's Lionesses kicked off their Women's Euro 2022 campaign with the eyes of the world on Old Trafford. And in typical Manchester fashion, that didn't dampen the party atmosphere outside Old Trafford one bit - it just moved the party inside. With the ground filling up, the rain was soon replaced by residual smoke from a pyrotechnic display to open the tournament, with the Lionesses continuing the show over the next two hours. As England depart Manchester with a hard-fought victory to begin their Euro campaign, they will have almost certainly left a lasting impression on the record-breaking crowd who came to cheer them on - this was a UEFA Women's Euro record attendance of over 68,000, also setting a record for women's football in Manchester in the process. ALSO READ: England player ratings as Lionesses secure Women's Euro 2022 opener win over Austria

This isn't the kind of atmosphere Old Trafford is used to, especially in recent years, thanks to United's inconsistency and off-field dramas. So there was an unfamiliar sight of smiles on faces walking up to the ground, and a rarely-felt sense of hope and optimism and genuine belief in the home team. Naturally, crowds in women's football are less tribal than this stadium would usually attract, with a much younger demographic and plenty more families adding to the positive mood. That is exactly the kind of crowd organisers want to attract, though, and it will please them how many young girls seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves in the stands and getting behind the Lionesses. They were here for a party and to enjoy the football, and they started early. They were rewarded with an opening goal