[ad_1]
Ricky Wilson/Stuff
Forward Sophia Smith scored two goals as the United States easily accounted for Vietnam at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
At Eden Park, Auckland: United States 3 (Sophia Smith 14’ 45’+7, Lindsey Horan 77’) Vietnam 0. HT: 2-0
Group E points (games played): United States 3 (1), Netherlands 0 (0), Portugal 0 (0), Vietnam 0 (1)
The United States have made a winning start to their pursuit of a third-straight FIFA Women’s World Cup title, but have plenty of room for improvement.
They were profligate in only scoring three goals from just under 30 shots against Vietnam in front of a crowd of 41,107 at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday afternoon, with fine weather making for a fine occasion.
Alex Morgan had a penalty saved late in the first half, but a Sophia Smith brace ensured the contest was put to bed by the time the teams headed to their dressing rooms.
Vietnam were much better than they were when they lost 2-0 to New Zealand’s Football Ferns in Napier two weeks ago, turning in a spirited performance and receiving strong support from the mixed crowd – the second-largest ever seen at a football match on these shores.
There was an early scare for the US when right winger Trinity Rodman went down clutching her back, but while a stretcher was brought out, she was able to stand and resume playing.
It was left winger Smith who opened the scoring after 14 minutes, running onto a flick from Morgan, who dropped deep, then finishing calmly past goalkeeper Thi Kim Tranh Tran, who had already made a crucial intervention to deny US captain Lindsey Horan.
The Americans were not as assured in possession as they would have liked, with their first touches letting them down on several occasions.
Smith returned the favour to Morgan in the 28th minute, but her slot from the left of the area went across the face of goal. Immediately afterwards, she was denied by Tran, who then came off her line to punch a cross by Morgan off the head of centre back Julie Ertz.
The US were awarded a penalty when a video assistant referee intervention picked up a foul by Thi Loan Hoang on Rodman on the verge of halftime, but Morgan’s effort was only slight to the left of centre and easily stopped by Tran.
Smith’s second ensured they went into the break with a buffer, shooting under Tran deep into first-half stoppage time, but it was only awarded after the VAR overturned an initial offside call.
While the US finished the half with 16 shots to none, the feeling they weren’t anywhere close to hitting top gear was summed up when right back Emily Fox found herself running 20m backwards, harried by her Vietnamese marker.
Ricky Wilson/Stuff
United States forward Alex Morgan had a tough afternoon against Vietnam, receiving treatment after she was taken out after having a penalty saved.
Horan sent a volley wide-right with plenty of the goal to aim for early in the second half, while Megan Rapinoe had a similar miss shortly after being introduced on the hour mark – the event that drew the loudest cheer of the afternoon.
Smith became the provider for the US’ third goal, in the 77th minute, setting up Horan to score in her first World Cup match as captain, deputising for injured centre back Becky Sauerbrunn.
[ad_2]