AUKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Sophia Smith scored twice for the United States in the opening half and the two-time defending champions kicked off the Women’s World Cup with a 3-0 victory over tournament first-timers Vietnam on Saturday.
Lindsey Horan added a goal for the favored Americans, who have won four World Cups overall and are vying for an unprecedented three-peat at the tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Vietnam drew comparisons to the Americans’ opponent in the 2019 World Cup opener, Thailand, which the U.S. thumped 13-0.
However, Vietnam was surprisingly resilient and kept the game as close as possible.
