Coloradan’s Sophia Smith Brace and Lindsey Horan Goal Raise the Roof in USWNT World Cup Opener

AUKLAND – Windsor, Colorado’s Sophia Smith became the second youngest senior United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) player to score multiple goals in a World Cup Game. Golden’s Lindsey Horan scored her third career World Cup goal, and that was all that was needed for the Lady Yanks to defeat Vietnam, 3-O, in their respective opening day matches in the 2023 Women’s World Cup Tournament.

Over 41,000 patriotic fans witnessed an entertaining Samson versus Goliath-uesque faceoff in suburban Auckland voluminous Eden Park Stadium.

At the end of the showcase of two of the world’s best, it was an all-Colorado performance that was led by the rising winger/striker Sophia Smith and recently anointed Team USA’s co-captain, Lindsey Horan. 

Smith found the net twice before the halftime whistle. Her goals did not come easy, as a downright pesky Vietnam team came to play against tournament favorites America.

The U.S.’s opening goal in the 14th minute arrived byway of a picture perfect heel-pass from Alex Morgan to a on-the-run Smith who was just arriving into the left side of the 18-yard box.  Smith took a single soft touch then fired low with her left foot through the legs of Vietnam’s acrobatic goalkeeper, Tran Thị Kim Thanh.

Smith got her brace just before halftime. With the ball bouncing around the box, Tran came off her line and punched out a cross from USA’s defender Naomi Girma. However, the ball sailed directly to a welcoming Smith who promptly smashed the ball her through the legs of Tran. 

The U.S. had a multitude of opportunities to pile onto their early scores all throughout the half.

“We obviously could have put away a few more questions, myself included,” Smith said during her presser. “That’s always going to be the case. We always want more, we always want to strive for more, but we’re happy with the result. It’s a win and we’ll take it and we take that going into the next game.” 

The USA then capped off the match in the 77th minute. It was Horan’s turn to set up and represent her Colorado Rush Soccer Club. She did not disappoint her alma mater football organization. Horan finished with a poised and powerful strike from the center of the penalty box. 

Smith was mulling around instead box. She strip the ball from a defender inside the penalty zone, then cut a pass over to an unmarked Horan who had more time on her hands that an RTD bus at a long stop light in Denver to prepare, synch-up and launch her rocket-of-a-shot home.

“I love playing with Lindsey, she’s such a great player. She has such a good eye for things that a lot of players don’t see,” Smith stated. “She understands my game. She understands the runs I’m making before I even make them.”

After the game, Girna said of her teammate Smith “Her ability to turn and go 1-on-1 is at next level. To a defender… she’s annoying.”  

With Smith’s assist and two goals today, 16 of the USA’s 21 goals in 2023 (76%) have been scored or assisted by a player under the age of 25. At 22 years and 346 days of age, Sophia Smith is the second-youngest player in USWNT history to score multiple goals in a World Cup game and the youngest since Cat Whitehill in 2003. She is the youngest USWNT player to score multiple goals in her World Cup debut.

During his long presser conference head coach Vlatko Andonovski shared his frank opinion of the testy game, “I was happy with the way this team played. If you look at this team, it’s the first time that this 11 has been on the field together.” He added, “They’ve never been on the field together in a game scenario for one minute and to see some of the connections and some of the combinations that they were able to do was very positive.”

The USA improved to 7W-2D-0L all-time in opening matches at the FIFA Women’s World Cup and have started each of the last four tournaments with a win. The USWNT has now won 13 consecutive matches at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, extending its own record for most consecutive wins in the competition.

The U.S. will now face the Netherlands on July 27 at Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara at 7 p.m. MT on July 26 on FOX, Telemundo, Universo and Peacock. They will close out group play against Portugal on August 1, back at 1 a.m. MT. Again the broadcast can be seen on FOX, Telemundo and Peacock.

Photo Credit: John Babiak.

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