USA vs Vietnam LIVE: USWNT win 3-0 as Sophia Smith nets twice in Women’s World Cup opener
The USA are aiming to win the World Cup for the third time in a row in what is Megan Rapinoe’s final tournament
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Sophia Smith scored a first-half brace on her Women’s World Cup debut as the United States got their bid for a third successive title off to a comfortable start with a 3-0 win over Vietnam at Eden Park on Saturday.
The top-ranked Americans have put their trust in the next generation this year and were rewarded with a showstopping performance from the 22-year-old forward, who also provided the assist for co-captain Lindsey Horan’s goal in the second half.
Vietnam were scarcely able to breach the final third on their World Cup debut but goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh dived to her right to save Alex Morgan’s first-half penalty in one of several good chances the U.S. spurned.
The heavily American presence in the crowd of 41,107 roared with pleasure as Megan Rapinoe, who plans to retire at the end of this year, took the field midway through the second half but the 38-year-old also missed a good scoring chance.
The U.S. next face the Netherlands on Thursday in their second Group E game, a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final,
Follow live updates as the USA begin their Women’s World Cup campaign.
Signing off
That’s all from us. Good night to you all – or good afternoon, if you happen to be in New Zealand!
Sophia Smith declared player of the match
World Cup first-timer Sophia Smith has been named the woman of the match by FIFA.
That’s hardly surprising, given that the 22-year-old scored both of the US goals in the first half and then assisted Lindsey Horan in scoring goal #3 in the second half.
26 shots to 0
In case you were wondering, across that whole game, the USA had 26 shots including six on target, while Vietnam had zero.
Julie Ertz: ‘We need to finish our chances'
US midfielder Julie Ertz is returning to the World Cup after a two-year absence from professional football while she had her son, Madden Matthew.
But in a TV interiew just now, she said the only emotions going through her head during the game were “grit and determination”.
“The win is huge. That’s how you want to start off a tournament,” she said. “Obviously you’ll go back and you’ll watch [to learn from mistakes]... but having a win helps with momentum for sure.”
Asked what she thought the team should improve before it plays the Netherlands next year, she said: “I think finishing our chances, for sure. We had some [tonight] that we didn’t finish. And I think just being clean on the ball.”
Sophia Smith: ‘It’s good to have a game under my belt’
One of the stars of this show was World Cup first-timer Sophia Smith, who scored both US goals in the first half.
“I feel relieved. I was a little bit anxious going into the tournament, so it’s good to have a game under my belt and get a feel for it, and know what to expect,” she said in a post-match interview just now. “We know the next few games are going to be hard.”
A modest victory for Team USA
It’s a victory for the USA, but perhaps not the victory they were hoping for. As the reigning champions, and with Vietnam making its World Cup debut, they were tipped by many bookies to score 5 or 6 goals.
“The US are like a high standing mountain, but we will not balk at climbing it,” team coach Mai Duc Chung had said before the match. “Vietnam will have reasonable tactics. Our first goal is to limit goals conceded and avoid injuries.”
So it proved, and Vietnam will probably be happy with this result. Many pundits are pointing to the USA’s inexperienced roster tonight, with 12 of its 23 players and six of the starting XI having never played in a World Cup before.
Then again, perhaps the US will be glad to have given its newer players some experience. They will need it when they play against the Netherlands next Wednesday.
FINAL SCORE: USA 3-0 Vietnam
90+9 mins: The final whistle blows, and it’s USA 3, Vietnam 0.
USA 3-0 Vietnam
90+8 mins: A valiant final effort from Thu Thao, who surges down the US left nearly unopposed. But she can’t get towards the centre, and Alyssa Naeher has little trouble stopping her shot.
USA 3-0 Vietnam
90+7 mins: Oof, what a near miss for Rose Lavelle. A cross goes awry but she still manages to meet it, bopping it just over the crossbar.
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