USA 3-0 Vietnam: Sophia Smith scores twice as defending champions win World Cup opener

Vietnam keeper Kim Thanh was mobbed by her jubilant team-mates aft redeeming Alex Morgan's penalty

United States launched their bid for an unprecedented 3rd consecutive satellite crown with a comfy triumph against Women's World Cup debutants Vietnam successful Auckland.

Smith, 1 of 14 players successful the USA squad appearing astatine their archetypal World Cup, fired the fig 1 ranked squad successful the satellite up with a debased drilled decorativeness from an angle.

Her 2nd was awarded pursuing a lengthy cheque by the Video Assistant Referee for an offside earlier skipper Lindsey Horan swept location the 3rd successful the 78th minute.

There was a memorable infinitesimal for keeper Kim Thanh erstwhile she was mobbed by her jubilant team-mates aft keeping retired Alex Morgan's punishment which was awarded for a foul connected Trinity Rodman.

Vietnam seldom managed to get retired of their ain fractional but they worked hard and produced a gritty antiaircraft show to support the scoreline respectable.

• Reaction arsenic the United States decision Vietnam astatine the Women's World Cup
• Are history-seeking USA inactive the squad to beat?

Bigger tests to come

While this was not the hammering immoderate had predicted successful the build-up, the United States did capable to get their run disconnected to a winning start.

Four years agone successful France they grounds the biggest ever Women's World Cup win, a 13-0 thrashing of Thailand, successful their opening crippled connected the mode to winning the tournament.

They carved retired capable chances against Vietnam to grounds different double-digit triumph and determination volition beryllium a tinge of disappointment from brag Vlatko Andonovski that his broadside did not marque the astir of their 28 attempts.

The USA arrived successful New Zealand arsenic favourites but tougher tests prevarication up and lone aft Thursday's lucifer successful Wellington against the Netherlands - a repetition of the 2019 last - volition their fans larn much astir whether they tin marque it 3 World Cups successes successful a row.

This was truthful comfy that Andonovski sent connected 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson for her archetypal sensation of the World Cup, portion chap substitute and icon Megan Rapinoe besides made her 200th quality for the Stars and Stripes - 17 years to the play she made her debut.

Rapinoe had a accidental to people the milestone with a extremity but failed to instrumentality her chance, portion Rose Lavelle struck the barroom successful the closing stages.

More to follow.