The U.S. Defeats Vietnam 3-0 In Their 2023 Women’s World Cup Opener

The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team began their pursuit of an unprecedented three-peat at the 2023 Women’s World Cup with a 3-0 victory over Vietnam. The outcome at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, was expected, as the seasoned U.S. squad, ranked No. 1 in the world, faced off against tournament newcomers Vietnam.

Throughout the match, the U.S. controlled possession, navigated through a series of Vietnamese fouls, and dictated the game’s tempo. The scoring started in the 14th minute, as Alex Morgan assisted WWC newcomer Sophia Smith to find the back of the net.

Later, in the 44th minute, the U.S. earned a penalty kick after Trinity Rodman was fouled in the penalty area. However, the Vietnamese goalkeeper, Tran Thi Kim Thanh, made a great save to deny Morgan’s shot. Nevertheless, just before the halftime whistle, Smith managed to score her second goal of the half by maneuvering the ball past the goalkeeper’s legs.

Despite their dominance, Vietnam, ranked #32 in the world, did not attempt a single shot on the U.S. goal during the first half. The U.S. created numerous chances but surprisingly couldn’t find more than two goals in the opening half.

Expectations for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team are soaring high. They have a flawless record in opening matches at the Women’s World Cup, with seven wins and two draws in the nine tournaments held so far. Moreover, their recent victory against Vietnam marks their 13th consecutive win in WWC matches, setting a remarkable tournament record. Impressively, the U.S. has only conceded one goal in the nine games played this year.

As the most successful team in the Women’s World Cup’s history, with four previous titles, the U.S. holds a prestigious position in the competition. However, leading up to this edition, they haven’t displayed the same level of dominance, and they now face more competitive opposition from countries that have narrowed the competitive gap in recent years.

In the second half of their match against Vietnam, the U.S. maintained their style of controlling possession and creating scoring opportunities, but struggled to convert them into goals. A significant moment of inspiration came in the 62nd minute when veterans Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle, who had been dealing with injuries, were substituted into the game. The co-captain, Lindsey Horan, further extended the U.S. lead with a powerful strike in the 77th minute, assisted by Smith, who had an impressive Women’s World Cup debut, contributing two goals and an assist.

Remarkably, Vietnam failed to take a single shot or win a corner kick throughout the game, highlighting the U.S.’s defensive strength and control over the match.

“I came into it with the mindset I’ll do whatever it takes to help this team win, and tonight that’s what it was” U.S. forward Sophia Smith shared with Fox Sports. “It’s good to have a game under our belt. We know the next two games are going to be hard. We’ll celebrate this for a second and then put our focus into the next game.”

The 2023 Women’s World Cup is co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, marking the first time such a collaboration has occurred in any WWC edition. The U.S. is competing in group play against Vietnam, the Netherlands, and Portugal, with all three matches taking place in New Zealand.

To progress to the later stages of the tournament, the U.S. cannot underestimate any of its opponents and must fine-tune its lineup. The team came into the tournament with 14 WWC newcomers out of the 23-person squad. Against Vietnam, the 11 U.S. starters had never played together competitively, with six of them making their WWC debut. The challenge lies in blending established stars like Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Crystal Dunn, Rose Lavelle, and Julie Ertz with emerging talents like Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Sofia Huerta.

The Women’s World Cup commences with eight groups, each comprising four countries. Every team will play at least three games, facing each group opponent once. The top two countries from each group will advance to the knockout stage.

Next up for the U.S. is a highly anticipated rematch of the 2019 WWC final against the ninth-ranked Netherlands, scheduled for Wednesday, July 26 at 9 p.m. ET.