AUKLAND – The United States Women’s National Team are about to officially kick off their defense of the FIFA World Cup championship at Eden Park in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau against Vietnam. The USWNT’s goal is to win the tournament and the first three-peat in World Cup history.
The match is the very first meeting between the two teams.
Vietnam ranks 32nd in FIFA’s Women’s table. In the Asian Football Confederation, they rank 5th. Their head coach is Mai Duc Chung. And their worthy nickname the is Golden Star Warriors. This is the Warriors’ inaugural World Cup appearance. In the spring, they won the regional Southeast Asian Games.
Picturesque Vietnam is home to just shy of 100 million residents, and football is the country’s national sport. Her fans are know to be both fiery and full of zeal.
The team arrived to New Zealand on July 6 from Ho Chi Minh City. Their confederation arranged tune-up games with New Zealand, Spain and Germany. They lost all three matches.
The USWNT arrived to New Zealand some 20 hours after they trumped Wales 2-0 in the team’s Send-Off game on July 9 in San Jose, California.
The USA is lead by head coach Vlatko Andonovski. In 61 games, he boasts a 50W-6D-5L record. This be his first time at the helm of a World Cup team.
“There’s only one thing in mind: we’re going into this tournament to win,” a matter-of-fact Andonovski stated during yesterday’s press conference. He added, “I don’t think anyone on our team thinks different.”
The entertaining team that he selected is a blend of up-and-coming stars, as well as several veterans, many of whom have played in past World Cup tournaments.
FORWARDS (6): Alex Morgan**** (San Diego Wave FC; 206/121), Megan Rapinoe**** (OL Reign; 199/63), Trinity Rodman* (Washington Spirit; 17/2), Sophia Smith* (Portland Thorns FC; 29/12), Alyssa Thompson* (Angel City FC; 3/0), Lynn Williams* (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 52/15)
* First Women’s World Cup
** Second Women’s World Cup
*** Third Women’s World Cup
**** Fourth Women’s World Cup
Two members of the team were born and raised in Colorado: Lindsey Horan and Sophia Smith. Both figure to be key players throughout the tournament and are predicted to earn a majority of game time minutes. Horan is a co-captain along with Alex Morgan.
With Smith’s favorite winger, Mallory Swanson back in the States healing from major knee surgery, Smith’s roll will be even more paramount during the competitive 30-day tournament.
During her turn at the press table a steely Smith said, “If it takes me scoring a lot of goals for us to win, I’ll do that. If it takes me playing a lot of defense, I’ll do that. We all have the same goal, and it’s to win, and it’s to start off by beating Vietnam and whatever it takes to do that.” The Fort Collins’ Fossil Ridge High School graduate continued, “Whoever it takes, whoever is on the field, we believe in everyone. So I’m not thinking about individual things like that.”
Captain Horan will also have a good deal of pressure on her shoulders. It will come both from her opposing marks on the pitch, and from millions of young eyes across the United States who now idolize the 29-year-old.
“I never thought that was going to be my role one where little girls and boys could look up to me. I thought it would always be football, but this is amazing.”
Meanwhile, Andonovski knows all to well that his team’s opponents want to push Team USA out of the tournament as early as possible. And anything can happen on any given day in this sport. “We keep hearing how the competition is getting closer and how it’s getting tougher,” Andonovski stated. “It is our responsibility to push this team for the extra 1% to be the best, to stay the best.” And the lady Yanks best play is what it will take for them to come out on top on August 20th.
The first whistle will blow at precisely 1 p.m. local time in Auckland (Saturday, July 22,) which corresponds to 7 p.m. MT on July 21 in the United States. Stateside fans can watch the game on FOX, Telemundo and Peacock.
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) July 20, 2023
After a day of regional rain, flooding and strong winds, game time weather will be favorable for both teams and fans alike. The forecast reads like a fall day in Colorado: Partly cloudy with a high of 57 degrees at midday.
Burgundy Wave will be field side capturing colorful images from the intersection of a 18-yard-box and the end line. So pop some corn and fasten your seat belts. The Women’s World Cup is off and running. Here we go, America.
Photo Credit: John Babiak.
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Brendan Ploen 