Sophia Smith scored twice for the US within the opening half and the two-time defending champions kicked off the Ladies’s World Cup with a 3-0 victory over match first-timers Vietnam on Saturday.
Lindsey Horan added a aim for the favored People, who’ve received 4 World Cups total and are vying for an unprecedented three-peat on this yr’s match.
Vietnam drew comparisons to Thailand, the workforce the People routed 3-0 in of their 2019 World Cup opening recreation. However Vietnam was surprisingly resilient, stored the sport nearer than anticipated, and goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh stopped Alex Morgan’s first-half penalty try.
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Morgan was knocked to the sphere clutching her calf after attempting for the rebound off her missed penalty, however she rapidly returned. It was simply her second penalty miss for the US.
Smith, considered one of 14 People enjoying of their first-ever World Cup, confirmed why she was named each U.S. Soccer’s Participant of the Yr and the Nationwide Ladies’s Soccer League MVP final yr along with her two first-half targets.
Smith scored off a move from captain Lindsey Horan within the 14th minute. Smith and Horan celebrated with a choreographed handshake after the aim. She scored once more in first-half stoppage time to make it 2-0 going into the break. America was at first flagged as offside earlier than a video overview confirmed the aim.
The U.S. workforce was infused with younger expertise together with Smith and Trinity Rodman after settling for a disappointing bronze medal on the Tokyo Olympics. Among the many veterans, 38-year-old Megan Rapinoe made her 2 hundredth worldwide look in opposition to Vietnam.
Rapinoe, who scored within the World Cup last in France and was named that match’s greatest participant, didn’t begin. She introduced earlier than the workforce left for New Zealand that this could be her final World Cup and he or she would retire from her skilled workforce on the finish of the season.
Rapinoe and midfielder Rose Lavelle, who had been each restricted by accidents within the run-up to the match, each got here in as substitutes within the 63rd minute. Rapinoe sported brilliant blue hair.
The youngest participant on the workforce, 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson, was additionally a second-half sub.
Horan scored right into a wide-open internet off a move from Smith, who was rushed by the goalkeeper and deftly despatched the ball again to her. Horan, who was lately engaged, kissed her ring in celebration.
There was early drama when Rodman, the daughter of former NBA nice Dennis Rodman and one of many younger newcomers on the workforce, appeared injured after falling exhausting on her again when she was tackled by defender Tran Thi Thu. Rapinoe warmed up on the sidelines and a stretcher was introduced out on the filed, however Rodman stood and returned to the match a couple of moments later.
Saturday’s recreation was the primary assembly between the US and Vietnam. The Vietnamese misplaced two exhibition matches forward of the match and fell 9-0 to Spain in a closed-door tune-up match in Auckland final Friday.
Additionally in Group E are the Netherlands and Portugal, which meet Sunday in Dunedin. Portugal can also be making its first World Cup look.
The group performs all of their matches in New Zealand, which is co-hosting the match with Australia. America performs the Netherlands in a 2019 last rematch on Thursday in Wellington.
Ought to the US high the group, the workforce will head to Sydney for the spherical of 16.
Again house in the US, an indication was erected on the North Garden of the White Home that mentioned “Go Crew USA! We’re all behind you.”
