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USWNT 3-0 Vietnam FINAL SCORE: Horan adds third to Smith double as USA cruise in Women’s World Cup opener
USA's defence of the Women's World Cup is off and running with a comfortable win over Vietnam.
Two goals from Sophia Smith and a third from Lindsey Horan gave them a 3-0 victory in their opening fixture in New Zealand.
Fans watched on across America on Friday night with the game taking place at Eden Park in Auckland.
USWNT prepare for a tougher test against the Netherlands next in a rematch of the 2019 final.
Here's how the action unfolded...
Next up
USA's schedule for the group stage looks like this...
- Fri 21 July, 9pm ET - USA 3-0 Vietnam
- Wed 26 July, 9pm ET - USA vs Netherlands
- Tue 1 Aug, 3am ET - Portugal vs USA
'Grit and determination'
Julie Ertz on FOX:
"The win is huge - that's how you want to start the tournament. You watch the film and learn from it, but the win was most important.
"I feel I'm at the point where I've been grinding to get back. When you're out there it's go time and the only emotion I have is grit and determination at this point."
Double take
Sophia Smith on FOX:
"It's so exciting, every minute of that game was fun and the crowd was amazing. It was a good way to start the tournament but we have plenty more to come.
"I'm happy with where we are but we have a little more in us.
"I was a little bit anxious going into the tournament.
I'm relieved. It's good to have a game under our belt because we know the next two games are going to be hard."
The final stats
28 shots to zero - 8 shots on target to zero. A pretty comfortable night's work for the USWNT but they could probably sharpen up a bit.
In fact they'll need to sharpen up a bit with Netherlands next on Wednesday night.
.Credit: Adam Gray for The U.S. Sun .Credit: Adam Gray for The U.S. Sun FT: USA 3-0 Vietnam
And that's the final whistle!
USA are off and running in the Women's World Cup with a comfortable win over Vietnam.
Two goals from Sophia Smith in the first half and a second-half strike from Lindsey Horan got the job done.
It could and maybe should've been more, but USA's win was never in doubt.
Onto Holland.
USA 3-0 Vietnam
90, Nine minutes of added time.
USA 3-0 Vietnam
82, Couple more late changes for the USA in the closing moment.s
Dunn and Fox are off and O'Hara and Huerta come on.
We're just going through the motions here in the final minutes. USA have got their job done.
USA 3-0 Vietnam
77, Horan couldn't miss this time. Another low cross from the right hand side and this time it's finished off.
Smith turns provider for Horan to score her 28th USWNT goal.
And the USA can breath a little easier now.
GOALLLLL!
Horan makes it 3-0. And that is that!
USA 2-0 Vietnam
74, Off goes Rodman and on comes Thompson for the US for the final 15 minutes or so.
Another young prospect and talent who could make a big impact here in Australia.
Vietnam also make a change with Huynh off and Hai Yen off. Huynh was actually booked for not coming off a second ago when the board went up. Strange.
USA 2-0 Vietnam
71, Rapinoe this time... over the bar again.
Lavelle drove into the box and delivered a cross from the right hand side into the path of Rapinoe.
But she totally miscued her right-foot shot and it went high and wide.
USA 2-0 Vietnam
66, Fox with the chance... over the bar.
That was the USA's best opening to make it 3-0 in the second half.
Six yards out and running onto the knockdown but she blazes over.
USA 2-0 Vietnam
59, Looks like the World Cup debutants are preparing some changes here.
Maybe a bit more attacking impetus to give this thing a shot?
That could lead to some chances for the USA with more gaps to exploit.
USA 2-0 Vietnam
54, Megan Rapinoe warming up for the US on the sidelines.
USA are looking much more controlled to begin this second half.
A third goal would put it to bed nicely and let them focus on the Netherlands game next.
USA 2-0 Vietnam
49, Oh what a goal that would've been!
USA looking much better to start the second half and almost pulled off a brilliant team goal.
Rodman got to the byline on the right and delivered a cross which Horan ran onto.
But her volley went agonzingly wide of the post.
USA 2-0 Vietnam
46, Right then... here we go again with the second half.
Learn and adapt
Carli Lloyd on FOX when asked about where USA can improve:
"That final third, being sharper there.
"They've got to get that coordination of movement. It's a bit direct and they've got to push and pull that defence out of there."
HT: USA 2-0 Vietnam
USA has the halftime lead in Auckland thanks to Smith's double.
But they should be even further in front with Morgan missing a penalty late in the half.
That second goal was key for the US to give themselves some breathing room. Halftime will feel a little different now it's not just the one-goal lead.
Vietnam would've been pretty pleased at 1-0, that late goal was a bit of a kick to the gut.
.Credit: Getty GOALLLLL!
There is no offside. VAR overules.
Smith has her and USA's second goal in the dying seconds of the first half.
USA 1-0 Vietnam
45, GOOOAAA... no!
Sophia Smith thought she had her second as her snap shot on a loose ball sneaks under the goalkeeper and trickles into the net.
But Alex Morgan is called for offside in the buildup. It's tight, and VAR are checking.
USA 1-0 Vietnam
45, Eight minutes of added time at the end of the first half.
Thanks mainly to that VAR decision.
USA 1-0 Vietnam
44, Morgan steps up for the penalty... it's SAVED!
That was a pretty weak effort, nowhere near the corner.
And the rebound goes wide.
What a let-off for Vietnam and a huge chance for some breathing room for USA missed.