The two-time defending champion United States started its quest for a third-consecutive World Cup title with a 3-0 win over newcomer Vietnam.
Sophia Smith dropped in two goals in the first half in her World Cup debut.
Team captain Lindsey Horan sealed the victory with a second-half goal.
Team USA takes the field again at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday against Netherlands.
The World Cup champion will be crowned Aug. 20 at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
The U.S. Women’s National Team will next play Netherlands at 9 p.m. ET. Wednesday.
Subbing in late in the game, recent high school graduate Alyssa Thompson is the second-youngest player ever on the U.S. Women’s World Cup team.
Alyssa Thompson of USA controls the ball against Tran Thi Thu Thao of Vietnam during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group E match between USA and Vietnam at Eden Park on July 22, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand.
The U.S. won its first match of the 2023 World Cup Friday, besting Vietnam in its debut game 3-0.
United States’ Lindsey Horan, left, celebrates with her teammates from left United States’ Megan Rapinoe, United States’ Sophia Smith, and United States’ Alyssa Thompson after scoring her side’s 3rd goal during the Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the United States and Vietnam at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, July 22, 2023.
United States’ Lindsey Horan, left, celebrates with her teammates from left Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith, and Alyssa Thompson after scoring her side’s 3rd goal against Vietnam at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, on Saturday.Andrew Cornaga
Forward Sophia Smith earned two goals in her first World Cup. Captain Lindsey Horan, appearing in her second cup, also scored.
The defending champions dominated Vietnam, earning 26 shots, with six on target. Vietnam didn’t get a single shot.
The U.S. plays the Netherlands on Wednesday in a rematch of the 2019 championship, a game the U.S. won 2-0.
More than 40,000 fans are in the stadium for the USA-Vietnam match — 41,107 to be exact.
That’s the number Eden Park, New Zealand’s National Stadium, showed the crowd during second-half action.
The seating capacity is just under 50,000 seats, according to Eden Park’s website.
