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Sophia Smith of USA and Portland Thorns and Le Thi Diem My of Vietnam and Than Khoang San compete for the ball during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group C match between Spain and Costa Rica at Wellington Regional Stadium on July 21, 2023 in Wellington / Te Whanganui-a-Tara, New Zealand. |
United States launched their bid for an unprecedented third consecutive world crown with a comfortable win against Women’s World Cup debutants Vietnam in Auckland.
Sophia Smith struck twice before half-time for the the four-time world champions in front of thousands of travelling USA fans in a crowd of 41,107.
Smith, one of 14 players in the squad appearing at their first World Cup, fired the number one ranked team in the world ahead with a low drilled finish from an angle.
Her second was awarded following a lengthy check by the Video Assistant Referee for an offside before captain Lindsey Horan, after an assist by Smith, swept home the third in the 78th minute.
There was a memorable moment for keeper Kim Thanh when she was mobbed by her jubilant team-mates after keeping out Alex Morgan’s penalty which was awarded for a foul on Trinity Rodman.
Vietnam rarely managed to get out of their own half but they worked hard and produced a gritty defensive performance to keep the scoreline respectable.