USA vs Vietnam LIVE: USWNT win 3-0 as Sophia Smith nets twice in Women’s World Cup opener

The United States begin the defence of their Women’s World Cup crown as the four-time champions play Vietnam in Auckland tonight.

The USA are aiming to become the first team to win the World Cup three times in a row, with stars such as Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe returning from their victory in France four years ago. The defending champions are favourites to retain their title but they will face competition from the top European sides, such as England and Germany, who are confident they have closed the gap.

The stage is set for the next generation to shine, such as star forward Sophia Smith, who is one of 14 players in the squad who are making their first appearance at the World Cup finals. The USA also have a new head coach from four years ago, with Vlatko Andonovski taking over from Jill Ellis, who led the team to titles in 2015 and 2019.

Follow live updates as the USA begin their Women’s World Cup campaign.

Women’s World Cup LIVE: USA vs Vietnam

• USA begin World Cup campaign against Vietnam (Kick-off 9pm ET, 2am BST)

• Defending champions are aiming to win their third World Cup in a row

• Megan Rapinoe is playing in her last World Cup before retirement

• USA are joined by Netherlands, Portugal and Vietnam in World Cup Group E

FINAL SCORE: USA 3-0 Vietnam

04:08 , Io Dodds

90+9 mins: The final whistle blows, and it’s USA 3, Vietnam 0.

USA 3-0 Vietnam

04:06 , Io Dodds

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

04:05 , Io Dodds

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.

USA 3-0 Vietnam

04:03 , Io Dodds

90+4 mins: Hai Linh Tran is relieved from the pitch. Team USA has just five minutes to improve on their 3-0 score, but Vietnam’s defence remains as spirited as it has been this whole game.

USA 3-0 Vietnam

03:59 , Io Dodds

88 mins: Looks like a nasty injury for Hai Linh Tran, who went down to a zealous tackle from Kelley O’Hara.

Play stops for a time while the ref remonstrates with O’Hara, adding to the now nine minutes of extra time. It’s been a brutal game.

USA 3-0 Vietnam

03:54 , Io Dodds

85 mins: An incredibly close miss for Rose Lavelle, who has a decent amount of space but bounces the ball just off the crossbar. It ricochets directly down to the ground before bouncing off and being shepherded away by Vietnam.

USA 3-0 Vietnam

03:53 , Io Dodds

84 mins: The US relieves Crystal Dunn and Emily Fox, substituting Kelley O'Hara and Sofia Huerta.

USA 3-0 Vietnam

03:52 , Io Dodds

83 mins: A rare spell of extended possession for Vietnam, who bring it up the right-hand side despite heavy opposition until they are forced off the edge of the pitch.

USA 3-0 Vietnam

03:47 , Io Dodds

76 mins: GOAL! Play has barely restarted after the subtitutions when Ertz boots a long pass down to Smith, who zings it back to Horan, who bops it right into the back of the net.

The USA had been able to slowly draw the whole Vietnamese defence forward, meaning Smith was nearly alone when she received the ball. 3-0.

USA 2-0 Vietnam

03:44 , Io Dodds

75 mins: More substitutions. For the US, Trinity Rodman is off, and Melissa Thompson is on.

For Vietnan, Huynh Nhu is off – oddly gleaning a yellow card for not leaving the pitch quickly enough – and Hai Yen Pham is on.

USA 2-0 Vietnam

03:40 , Io Dodds

71 mins: So far this second half is unfolding much like the first. The US is continually on the attack, so far thwarted every time (albeit in some cases very narrowly). At the 60 minute mark, they had 20 shots – five of which were on goal – to Vietnam’s zero.

USA 2-0 Vietnam

03:34 , Io Dodds

65 mins: We've got some substitutions. For Vietnam, Luong Thi Thu Thuong and Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy are replaced by Chuong Thi Kieu and Nguyen Thi My Anh.

For the US, Savannah DeMelo and Alex Morgan are replaced by Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle.

Best pictures from the game so far

03:33 , Io Dodds

Here’s some of the best photos from the stadium in Auckland.

USA 2-0 Vietnam

03:25 , Io Dodds

57 mins: Yellow card to US midfielder Lindsey Horan for late tackle against Bich Thuy, who seems to be in considerable pain. Play stops for a couple minutes while she’s tended to.

USA 2-0 Vietnam

03:19 , Io Dodds

51 mins: Missed chance by Horan for the US, going just wide of the net. The ball comes back to Vietnam’s half quickly, but some defensive scrambling gets it clear again.

USA 2-0 Vietnam

03:17 , Io Dodds

49 mins: The game’s back on, and within the first ten seconds Smith nearly scores another goal. DeMelo takes a corner for the US, but Ertz accidentally heads it off the pitch and Kim Tranh Tran sends it back into the US half.

Sophia Smith shines in World Cup debut

03:06 , Io Dodds

It’s a hell of a World Cup debut for US striker Sophia Smith, and the team knows it.

Half-time: USA 2-0 Vietnam

02:59 , Io Dodds

It’s now half time.

USA 2-0 Vietnam

02:58 , Io Dodds

45+11 mins: GOAL! And what a messy one. We waited for more than a minute for VAR to confirm whether Smith’s rapid slice right through the legs of Vietnam’s defence, after Girma hoofed the ball across the pitch from the rear, was actually a valid goal or not.

Answer: yes: 2-0 to the Yanks.

USA 1-0 Vietnam

02:51 , Io Dodds

45+3 mins: We’ve got eight minutes of extra time, thanks to the numerous fouls and injuries we’ve seen so far. The USA must have hoped to be further ahead by now – a testament to Vietnam’s defensive nous and a vindication of their lopsided 6-4-1 formation.

USA 1-0 Vietnam

02:48 , Io Dodds

45+1 mins: Fantastic save by Kim Tranh Tran and a huge missed chance for the US, as Morgan squanders a penalty kick awarded for a Vietnam foul.

After bouncing it off Tran’s knee, she tries to get it in on the rebound, but the Vietnamese defence is too quick.

USA 1-0 Vietnam

02:43 , Io Dodds

41 mins: A rare near-chance for Vietnam, and some action for US goalie Alyssa Naeher, as Huynh Nhu brings the ball down the US left. But it’s nimbly taken back by US defender Emily Fox, and it all breaks down in with acrimonious jostling in midfield.

For all the pressure from the US, they haven’t managed that many shots on goal yet.

USA 1-0 Vietnam

02:38 , Io Dodds

36 mins: A nasty fall for Julie Ertz just now as she dives to head the ball but ends up knocking it down to the ground – before it bounces up and hits her in the face while she’s still in the air.

USA 1-0 Vietnam

02:35 , Io Dodds

33 mins: Imagine being Kim Tranh Tran right now. She’s doing sterling work deflecting repeated shots from the US, like a player in a rather one-sided game of Pong.

Nevertheless, the ball has spent most of this game in Vietnam’s half of the pitch.

USA 1-0 Vietnam

02:29 , Io Dodds

27 mins: DeMelo takes a corner, but it bonks off a team-mate’s head in the wong direction and back out into midfield, before cleanly being banished by Vietnam’s defence. Despite the early goal, they’re doing a good job holding the Americans back.

USA 1-0 Vietnam

02:23 , Io Dodds

20m: Repeated close shaves for Vietnam here as US players come very close to the goal. Each time, goalie Kim Tranh Tran or one of her defenders manages to cut them off.

Vietnam's starting XI

02:19 , Io Dodds

17m: I didn't have time to post Vietnam's starting XI, so here it is!

• Kim Tranh Tran in goal

• Loan Hoang, Thu Tran, Diem My Le, Thu Tho Tran, Thu Thuong Luong, and The Tran in defence

• Tuyet Dung Nguyen, Hai Linh Tran, Thao Thai, and Bich Thuy Nguyen in midfield

• Huynh Nhu in front

USA 1-0 Vietnam

02:16 , Io Dodds

15m: Goal! First score of the match goes to USA, with Horan crossing way into midfield and Smith slotting it neatly in from the left.

USA 0-0 Vietnam

02:14 , Io Dodds

12 mins: The USA is putting Vietnam under pressure, but not without resistance. Lots of whistles, followed by free kicks and throw-ins. Lindsey Horan comes closest to a US goal, but is blocked – and ruled offside anyway.

Rodman is also back on field, apparently recovered.

USA 0-0 Vietnam

02:06 , Io Dodds

4 mins: And we’re off! The USA takes possession quickly, but Trinity Rodman goes down and stays down before a minute is out, her face twisted in pain. A stretcher is brought on, but she doesn’t want it.

The ref calls foul and gives the US a free kick. No goal, but it’s an eventful start to the match.

The Marching Song

02:00 , Io Dodds

Now it’s the Vietnam team’s turn. Their national anthem is Tiến Quân Ca, usually called “The Marching Song” in English, a military tune written in 1944 and adopted as the official anthem in 1976 following the USA’s defeat in the Vietnam war.

Oh, say can you see...

01:57 , Io Dodds

Here we go. The US women’s World Cup team is lined up for the Star-Spangled Banner, hands on hearts. It’s showtime.

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

01:50 , Jamie Braidwood

One to watch - Vietnam

As the only player in the Vietnam squad to play their football outside of the country and in Europe, striker Huynh Nhu will be familiar with some of her Group E rivals. The 32-year-old, who is Vietnam’s record goalscorer, plays for Portuguese side Lank Vilaverdense.

The coach

The experienced coach Mai Duc Chung, taking charge of his first and last major tournament, will look to bring the defensive organisation that earned Vietnam their historic place in the World Cup finals. Vietnam are one of the youngest teams in the tournament, with the women’s team only formed in 1990.

What are their chances?

Vietnam are featuring in their first ever World Cup, men’s or women’s, and the size of their task is clear. The USA and the Netherlands are two of the most experienced sides at the tournament, while Portugal have quality they could only dream of. Vietnam have plenty of spirit but getting at least a point would be considered a success.

US starting XI announced

01:47 , Io Dodds

We now know the US team’s starting XI:

• Alyssa Naeher in goal

• Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Julie Ertz, and Crystal Dunn in defence

• Andi Sullivan, Lindsey Horan, and Savannah DeMelo in midfield

• Sophia Smith, Alex Morgan, and Trinity Rodman in front

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

01:31 , Jamie Braidwood

The battle for the Women’s World Cup is underway, but the contest for the best kit at the tournament has never been stronger.

The biggest ever Women’s World Cup means there are more new shirts to dive into than ever before, while Nike and Adidas have taken their creative experimentation process to another level in Australia and New Zealand.

Like in 2019, the Women’s World Cup features a host of unique designs - with Adidas unveiling a selection of nature-themed kits and Nike taking inspiration from various artistic movements. The results are wild.

Here are the Women’s World Cup 2023 kits, ranked and rated from worst to best:

Every Women’s World Cup kit ranked and rated

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

01:21 , Jamie Braidwood

Megan Rapinoe, 38, burst onto the global stage at the 2011 World Cup in Germany when she scored a screamer against Colombia and celebrated by grabbing an on-field microphone placed near the corner flag and crooning Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”. A star was born.

Since then, the iconic neon-haired winger has won gold at the London 2012 Olympics, bronze at the Tokyo 2020 games and both the 2015 and 2019 FIFA World Cups as an integral part of the US Women’s National Team (USWNT).

She was named player of the tournament at her last World Cup in France four years ago after scoring six – including a spotkick in the final against the Netherlands – and picked up both the Golden Boot and that year’s Ballon d’Or Feminin.

Megan Rapinoe: The legendary US attacker and LGBT+ rights activist in profile

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

01:11 , Jamie Braidwood

USA striker Alex Morgan, 34, is one of the biggest stars in women’s football, already an Olympic gold medallist and a two-time World Cup winner.

The American is heading into her fourth FIFA Women’s World Cup and ranks in the top 10 in USWNT history in goals, assists and multi-goal games.

Morgan first caught the eye a decade ago at the 2011 World Cup in Germany when she was the youngest player in the American squad but, undaunted by the international spotlight, scored in both the semi-final and final as the US finished runners-up to Japan.

Since then, she has gone from strength to strength, shrugging off her old nickname of “Baby Horse” to be described as a “full-on stallion” by her international teammate Megan Rapinoe.

Who is USWNT striker Alex Morgan?

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

01:01 , Jamie Braidwood

USA striker Trinity Rodman is seeking to introduce herself on the international stage in Australia and New Zealand after making swift progress at domestic level playing for Washington Spirit, scoring 13 goals in 47 appearances since making her debut in 2021.

She will also be seeking to emerge from the long shadow cast by her famous father, Dennis Rodman, one of basketball’s greatest and most eccentric stars who was pivotal to the success of the “Bad Boy”-era Detroit Pistons and to Michael Jordan’s dominant Chicago Bulls team of the 1990s.

The star has largely been a remote figure in his daughter’s life as she was raised by her mother Michelle Moyer but Rodman has said she learned the importance of being reactive from watching clips of his performances on the court.

Are the United States still the team to beat at the Women’s World Cup?

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

Saturday 22 July 2023 00:48 , Jamie Braidwood

What are their chances?

No other team comes close to the USA’s history in the World Cup. With titles in 1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019, they are looking to become the first country ever to win three World Cups in a row, men’s or women’s. As always, the expectation will be high. The US has the biggest following of any team at the tournament and anything less than a fifth World Cup will be considered to be a huge disappointment. The rise of the leading European teams, England, Spain, France and Germany, means the competition has never been greater.

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

Saturday 22 July 2023 00:38 , Jamie Braidwood

The coach

Vlatko Andonovski took over from Jill Ellis following the 2019 World Cup, faced with the task of taking a winning yet ageing team and transforming the squad. Perhaps there were always going to be bumps in the road and the 3-0 defeat to Sweden at the 2021 Olympics, which ended the team’s 44-match unbeaten run, was a sign of the challenge the Macedonian-American faces. Injuries before the World Cup have not helped.

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

Saturday 22 July 2023 00:28 , Jamie Braidwood

Key player

Alex Morgan, the face of the US team and joint top scorer in France four years ago, is back for her fourth World Cup, arguably better than ever. Since helping the US to back-to-back titles, Morgan has given birth to her first child and at 33 is still scoring regularly in the NWSL. With forwards Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario, who would have competed for Morgan’s place in the side, out due to injury, the USA need their leader more than ever.

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

Saturday 22 July 2023 00:18 , Jamie Braidwood

United States

Confirmed squad

Goalkeepers: Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

Defenders: Alana Cook (OL Reign), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns), Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign), Kelley O’Hara (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (OL Reign)

Midfielders: Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville), Julie Ertz (Angel City), Lindsey Horan (Lyon), Rose Lavelle (OL Reign), Kristie Mewis (NJ/NY Gotham), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit)

Forwards: Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham)

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

Saturday 22 July 2023 00:08 , Jamie Braidwood

The United States kick off their World Cup campaign against Vietnam on Saturday in a tournament that will prove the ultimate test of head coach Vlatko Andonovski’s tenure.

The Americans enjoyed tremendous success under previous manager Jill Ellis, who led the team to their third and fourth titles in 2015 and 2019. She may prove a tough act to follow.

No country has ever won three straight World Cups but U.S. fans will accept nothing less from the world’s top-ranked side.

“When I took this job four years ago, it wasn’t unknown what the expectations are,” said Andonovski, who accepted the post months after the U.S. beat the Netherlands in the 2019 final.

“I was very well aware of it and I was aware of the pressure of the job and I embraced it and it helped me. It helped me in the preparation because the pressure turned into excitement.”

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

Saturday 22 July 2023 00:01 , Jamie Braidwood

If you’ve won the past two World Cups, it seems fair to go into the next tournament with confidence. Naturally, the USA are comfortable in such a position. “Good luck with that,” Alex Morgan says in a pre-World Cup advert which centres around the topic of ‘how the rest of the world can stop the USA’. The four-time champions head into Australia and New Zealand on a high having formally signed their historic equal pay agreement last year - they filed their discrimination lawsuit against US Soccer before the previous World Cup in 2019. On the pitch, for the past eight years they’ve been the best, and they know it.

But for how much longer? That will really be the defining question of this World Cup.

Are the United States still the team to beat at the Women’s World Cup?

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

Friday 21 July 2023 23:55 , Jack Rathborn

The United States begin the defence of their Women’s World Cup crown as the four-time champions play Vietnam in Auckland tonight.

The USA are aiming to become the first team to win the World Cup three times in a row, with stars such as Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe returning from their victory in France four years ago. The defending champions are favourites to retain their title but they will face competition from the top European sides, such as England and Germany, who are confident they have closed the gap.

The stage is set for the next generation to shine, such as star forward Sophia Smith, who is one of 14 players in the squad who are making their first appearance at the World Cup finals. The USA also have a new head coach from four years ago, with Vlatko Andonovski taking over from Jill Ellis, who led the team to titles in 2015 and 2019.

Follow live updates as the USA begin their Women’s World Cup campaign.

Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam

Friday 21 July 2023 13:42 , Lawrence Ostlere

Follow all the latest as USA begin their World Cup campaign in New Zealand.