Four defenders surround USA attacker Alex Morgan during their Women's World Cup clash at Eden Park. Photo / Michael Craig
By Michael Burgess at Eden Park
USA 3 Vietnam 0
Football, bloody hell.
This game was meant to be the greatest mismatch at Eden Park since 1987, when the All Blacks destroyed an Italian team of pasta chefs and taxi drivers, topped off by John Kirwan’s solo try.
But it didn’t quite turn out that way.
Tournament debutants Vietnam – who were staggering $101.00 outsiders with the bookmakers – provided remarkable resistance against the four-time world champions in this Fifa Women’s World Cup match.
They held them to 1-0 through 45 minutes, before eventually going down 3-0 on a sunny Saturday afternoon, in front of a massive crowd.
The Asian minnows defied predictions of a demolition, with many pundits fearing a repeat of Thailand’s 13-0 hammering in 2019 and there will be plenty of pride throughout Vietnam today.
For the United States, it was a clunky beginning to the defence of their crown.
They had 28 shots to zero – with eight on target – but little to show for it.
They are one of the most heavily resourced teams on the planet – men or women – and were bigger, stronger, faster and more technically gifted than their counterparts.
But they couldn’t make it count. There was some lovely build-up play – with intricate triangles and angled runs – but their finishing was poor, although Vietnam goalkeeper Thi Kim Tranh Tran had the game of her life.
But by their high standards, some of their touches were loose, passes were overhit and crosses were long.
Alex Morgan missed a first-half penalty, while their second goal – in the eighth minute of first-half added time, was a touch fortuitous, as Sophia Smith’s scuffed shot bounced three times as the keeper was deceived in traffic.
Their class was obvious but this felt like a rusty hit out, though the USA will get a lot better.
But Saturday was about Vietnam, in a wonderful underdog effort.
They ran and ran and ran, then ran some more. They tackled and hustled and harried and in the second half managed some nice passages of possession, as their supporters roared.
It was a brilliant atmosphere. The American fans had their chants – though were a bit stunned as the dominance couldn’t be converted – while the Vietnamese contingent cheered every touch, in a great day out.
It was another impressive crowd, with 41,107 in attendance marking the third biggest turnout for an overseas United States group stage match in World Cup history.
The tone was set early, as Vietnam managed two passes from the kickoff, then didn’t see the ball for a few minutes. Captain Lindsay Horan missed several opportunities, while Alex Morgan ripped her boot off in frustration at one point.
The first goal was brilliant, a clinical finish from Sophia Smith, after a neat move through midfield. That was meant to be a settler but it didn’t really happen. Trinity Rodman won a penalty – after a prolonged VAR check, then a referral – but the keeper went the right way to stop Morgan’s weak effort.
The timing of Smith’s second goal, which also needed VAR for a tight offside check, was tough on the Vietnamese but they never wilted.
Smith should have completed her hat trick eight seconds into the second half but dragged her shot well wide, which summed up the profligacy of the Stars and Stripes.
Horan finally got a deserved goal and superstar substitute Rose Lavelle rattled the crossbar. Megan Rapinoe appeared just after the hour – to a huge ovation – for her 200th international match. She lifted a half volley well over the bar but then went close with an audacious effort from nearly 40 metres out, near the sideline, though it drifted just wide.
Vietnam enjoyed some promising attacks, though couldn’t muster a shot, but they defended grimly until the end.
United States 3 (Sophia Smith 14′, 45 + 7, Lindsay Horan 76′)
Vietnam 0
Halftime 2-0
Interim coach Michael Mayne lost a key opportunity to prove his suitability.