Live Vietnam women's team 0-1 USA: Sophia Smith opens the score

Live match between Vietnam women's team vs USA at World Cup 2023.

Minute 31: Goalkeeper Kim Thanh excellently blocked the opponent's long pass. Lindsey Horan rushed in to kick the ball back but failed. Minute 24: The US women's team continuously put pressure on goalkeeper Kim Thanh's goal with moves from Morgan and Smith. Hoang Thi Loan and the defenders were still in control of the situation.

Hoang Thi Loan was the bright spot of the Vietnamese women's team in the first half. Photo: Hoang Cong

Minute 18: Bich Thuy had an impressive sprint before passing the ball to Huynh Nhu who handled it skillfully on the right wing, but she did not receive timely support from her teammates. Minute 14: Goal! The US women's team opened the scoring. Morgan made a wall for Smith to break through and finish accurately, helping the defending champions take the lead with a score of 1-0. Minute 10: There were continuous dangerous crosses from the US women's team, but the Vietnamese women's team's defense controlled the situation. Minute 5: Sullivan took a free kick into the penalty area for Julie to head, but there was no danger to goalkeeper Kim Thanh.

Julie's header did not cause any difficulty for the Vietnamese women's team. Photo: Hoang Cong

Minute 1: In the first situation, Rodman was hurt and needed medical attention. She is temporarily out to treat the injury. 8:04: The match begins.

7:30: The Vietnamese women's team warms up before the match. The players appear excited and mentally relaxed, ready for their debut match at the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Vietnamese fans in the stands of Eden Park. Photo: Hoang Cong

Photo: Xuan Trang

Vietnamese players before the match. Photo: VFF

The starting lineup of the Vietnam women's team. Photo: VFF

The US women's team's starting lineup. Photo: US Soccer Federation

Pre-match information In their first appearance at the World Cup, the Vietnamese women's team fell into a difficult group with defending champions the United States, defending runners-up the Netherlands and Portugal. In the opening match, coach Mai Duc Chung and his team will face the US women's team . This is also a historic milestone for Vietnamese women's football in the world arena. The Vietnamese women's team has undergone careful preparation for the 2023 Women's World Cup, with training and competition trips in Japan, Germany and New Zealand. First was a narrow 1-2 loss to the German women's team - the team ranked 2nd on the FIFA rankings. The only goal of the Vietnamese women's team was scored by striker Thanh Nha. After that, despite continuing to lose to the New Zealand women's team with a score of 0-2 and Spain with a score of 0-9, Huynh Nhu and her teammates showed significant progress, especially in terms of physical strength and fighting spirit.

The Vietnamese women's team kicked off the World Cup with a match against defending champions the United States. Photo: Thanh Vu

Of course, fans expect the Vietnamese women's team to maintain their momentum, be in good spirits and perform their best in their first official match at the World Cup. However, this is not an easy challenge because their opponent is the defending champion of the tournament. The US women's team came to the 2023 World Cup with the goal of winning the championship for the third consecutive time. They have comprehensive strength from professional level, team spirit, individual skills, physique and fitness. 4 years is a long enough working period for coach Vlatko Andonovski to inspire and impart his philosophy of playing football to the current generation of players. This coach has played 61 matches with the US team, including 50 wins, 6 draws and only 5 losses. According to statistics, at the World Cup alone, the US women's team was undefeated in the opening matches, including 6 wins and 2 draws.

The US women's team is the current World Cup champion. Photo: USWNT — The US women's team is a mix of experienced players and young players. Photo: USWNT

The US women's team has only 9/23 players who have played in previous World Cups and the remaining 14 players are participating in this playground for the first time. However, the strength of the US women's team has not decreased. In return, young and strong players can shoulder the burden for "veterans" like Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe. Based on the basic criteria, it is very difficult for the Vietnamese women's team to dream of a victory or a draw. In fact, Huynh Nhu and her teammates only need to lose with less than 5 goals to be considered acceptable. Facing a very strong opponent, coach Mai Duc Chung did not hesitate to reveal that he will use the 3-5-2 tactical formation to strengthen the defense. However, it is likely that center back Chuong Thi Kieu will not be able to return to play due to physical problems. Above, young striker Thanh Nha also left open the possibility of playing because she was sick and was absent from the official familiarization session on July 21. In addition, Hai Yen and Duong Thi Van also suffered minor injuries but were able to return before the match day.

The Vietnamese women's team focused on set pieces and countering high balls when playing against the US team. Photo: VFF

The difference in strength between the Vietnamese and American teams is indisputable. However, with a spirit of determination and fighting for the flag, the Vietnamese women's team is expected to have an impressive debut, thereby helping the players gain new experiences and lessons. "In football, nothing can be predicted. We don't think we will win, but we promise to compete with the highest determination and the highest effort to have the best performance. The Vietnamese women's team has nothing to fear from losing. We have met Spain, Germany, and New Zealand. Through these matches, the whole team has gained a lot of experience and recognized our strengths and weaknesses. We have watched the US women's team play on video and will have the most appropriate tactics," coach Mai Duc Chung affirmed at a press conference before the match.