From left, United States’ Julie Ertz, United States’ Alex Morgan and Vietnam’s goalkeeper Thi Kim Thanh Tran collide during the Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the United States and Vietnam in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday. (AP Photo/Rafaela Pontes)

From left, United States’ Julie Ertz, United States’ Alex Morgan and Vietnam’s goalkeeper Thi Kim Thanh Tran collide during the Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the United States and Vietnam in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday. (AP Photo/Rafaela Pontes)

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: U.S. beats Vietnam behind newcomer Smith’s two goals

  • By Anne M. Peterson The Associated Press
  • Saturday, July 22, 2023 3:29pm
  • SportsWorld Cup

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Fresh-faced newcomer Sophia Smith teamed with captain Lindsey Horan to give the United States a balanced performance as the Americans breezed to another opening victory at the Women’s World Cup.

Smith scored twice and the two-time defending champions beat tournament first-timers Vietnam 3-0 Saturday for the Americans’ 12th straight victory in a World Cup match. Smith, who turns 23 next month and is playing in her first tournament, is the second-youngest U.S. women’s player to score multiple goals in a World Cup game.

Horan, the team’s co-captain with Alex Morgan, added a goal for the favored Americans, who have won four World Cups overall and are vying for an unprecedented three-peat in this year’s tournament.

“I love playing with Lindsey, she’s such a great player. She has such a good eye for things that a lot of players don’t see,” Smith said. “She understands my game. She understands the runs I’m making before I even make them.”

Vietnam drew comparisons to Thailand, the team the Americans routed 13-0 in in their 2019 World Cup opening game. But Vietnam was surprisingly resilient, kept the game closer than expected, and goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh stopped Morgan’s first-half penalty attempt.

Morgan was knocked to the field clutching her calf after trying for the rebound off her missed penalty, but she quickly returned. It was just her second penalty miss for the United States.

Smith, one of 14 Americans playing in their first World Cup, showed why she was named both U.S. Soccer’s Player of the Year and the National Women’s Soccer League MVP last year with her two first-half goals.

She scored when Morgan directed a pass from Horan to her in the 14th minute. Smith and Horan celebrated with a choreographed handshake after the goal.

Smith scored again in first-half stoppage time to make it 2-0 going into the break. The United States was at first flagged as offside before a video review confirmed the goal.

The U.S. team was infused with young talent including Smith and Trinity Rodman after settling for a disappointing bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

“They’re confident, they’ve been in pressure situations. Soph Smith, look what she did. She does that every single day in training so it’s no shock to me,” Horan said. “But it’s always great to have the first game to really calm everyone’s nerves and get the three points.”

Among the veterans, 38-year-old Megan Rapinoe made her 200th international appearance against Vietnam.

Rapinoe, who scored in the World Cup final in France and was named that tournament’s best player, did not start. She announced before the team left for New Zealand that this would be her last World Cup and she would retire from her professional team at the end of the season.

Rapinoe and midfielder Rose Lavelle, who were both limited by injuries in the run-up to the tournament, both came in as substitutes in the 63rd minute. Rapinoe sported bright blue hair.

“It feels old to reach that,” Rapinoe joked afterward. “My legs are like `You’ve earned it.’ It feels great, obviously, to have it be in a really meaningful game like a World Cup.”

The youngest player on the team, 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson, was also a second-half sub.

Horan scored into a wide-open net off a pass from Smith, who was rushed by the goalkeeper and deftly sent the ball back to her. Horan, who was recently engaged, kissed her ring in celebration.

There was early drama when Rodman, the daughter of former NBA great Dennis Rodman and one of the young newcomers on the team, appeared injured after falling hard on her back when she was tackled by defender Tran Thi Thu. Rapinoe warmed up on the sidelines and a stretcher was brought out on the field, but Rodman stood and returned to the match a few moments later.

Saturday’s game was the first meeting between the United States and Vietnam. The Vietnamese lost two exhibition matches ahead of the tournament and fell 9-0 to Spain in a closed-door tune-up match in Auckland last Friday.

Also in Group E are the Netherlands and Portugal, which meet Sunday in Dunedin. Portugal is also making its first World Cup appearance.

The group plays all of their matches in New Zealand, which is co-hosting the tournament with Australia. The United States plays the Netherlands in a 2019 final rematch on Thursday in Wellington.

Should the United States top the group, the team will head to Sydney for the round of 16.

Back home in the United States, a sign was erected on the North Lawn of the White House that said “Go Team USA! We are all behind you.”

United States’ Alex Morgan, left, and Vietnam’s goalkeeper Thi Kim Thanh Tran compete for the ball during the Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the United States and Vietnam at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday. (AP Photo/Andrew Cornaga)

United States’ Alex Morgan, left, and Vietnam’s goalkeeper Thi Kim Thanh Tran compete for the ball during the Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the United States and Vietnam at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday. (AP Photo/Andrew Cornaga)

More in Sports

Sequim's Amara Gonzalez gets past the Bremerton keeper for a goal Tuesday night in Sequim. Gonzalez was one of seven Wolves who scored in a 13-1 win. (Courtesy of Daniel James)
PREP SOCCER: Sequim lights up the scoreboard in 13-1 win

Roughriders fall to Kingston, but both teams in postseason

VOLLEYBALL: Sequim locks down second place in Olympic League

Wolves will play Bainbridge for top seed Saturday

Senior Sophia Petta spikes the ball against Annie Wright on Monday night in Chimacum. It was Petta's final home match for the Rivals and she responded with 44 digs. (Courtesy of Carrie Beebe)
PREP ROUNDUP: East Jefferson and Forks volleyball win

East Jefferson came away with a 3-1 (25-14, 25-20, 23-25,… Continue reading

Brandon Morales was the winner of the Salt Creek 24 Last Man Standing competition this weekend. In the Last Man Standing, 13 competitors ran up and back down the 3.7-mile trail to the top of 1,100-foot Striped Peak adjacent to the Salt Creek Recreation Area. Morales ran 66.6 miles, climbing 19,000 vertical and went nonstop for nearly 17 hours to win. (Photo courtesy of Brittany Shrout)
AREA SPORTS BRIEFS: Last Man Standing went 66 miles and 19,000 vertical feet

Brandon Morales won this year’s Last Man Standing event,… Continue reading

Rosemary Gala Moorhead, already a member of the Peninsula College Athletic Hall of Fame, was recently inducted into the Salpointe Catholic School Sports Hall of Fame in Tucson, Ariz.
PENINSULA COLLEGE: Retired teacher inducted into her high school’s hall of fame

Rosemary Gala Moorhead, a longtime Peninsula College instructor and… Continue reading

Forks’ Noah Foster runs down the sideline against Raymond-South Bend at Spartan Stadium on Friday night. Forks won 35-8. (Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News)
PREP FOOTBALL RECAP: Forks uses fast start to snap streak

Neah Bay crushes Tulalip Heritage to win Northwest 1B League

Mariah Traband, Port Angeles soccer and Arianna Stovall, Sequim volleyball.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Mariah Traband, Port Angeles soccer and Arianna Stovall, Sequim volleyball

Last week saw some outstanding performances in Sequim and Port Angeles from… Continue reading

Quilcene’s Robert Evans (3) barely evades the flying tackle of Crescent’s Mikah Love (12). Evans had two 60-yard touchdown runs on the day. Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News
PREP FOOTBALL: Quilcene wins shootout with Crescent

The Quilcene Rangers football team put themselves in position to… Continue reading

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Peninsula's Caleb Rolo, center, makes a sliding tackle on Shoreline's Hamza Askour as teammate Konrad Muller looks on during Saturday's match in Port Angeles.
COLLEGE SOCCER: (Updated) Peninsula men tie in regular-season home finale

Pirates had already locked up North Region title

PREP ROUNDUP: Sequim soccer falls 2-1 to North Kitsap

The Sequim girls soccer team lost 2-1 this weekend as… Continue reading

Forks' Neah Foster runs down the sideline against Raymond-South Bend at Spartan Stadium on Friday night. Forks won 35-8. (Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News)
PREP FOOTBALL ROUNDUP (Updated): Forks, Neah Bay both win big

The Forks football team got off to a fast start,… Continue reading