2023 World Cup: Who is the x-factor for Team USA?
You know the veterans, but there are a lot of rising stars on this USWNT squad you need to know as well.
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AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Sophia Smith’s World Cup debut was one to remember.
The USWNT’s rising star scored two goals in the first half and the Americans opened their quest to become the first team, men’s or women’s, to win three consecutive World Cup titles with a 3-0 win over Vietnam on Friday in front of an announced crowd of 41,107 at Eden Park. Smith added an assist on Lindsey Horan’s goal late in the second half.
The USWNT next plays the Netherlands on Wednesday in a match that will go a long way toward deciding the winner of Group E. That’s no small thing, given the group winner is likely to avoid England, Germany, France or Canada until the final.
That the USWNT beat Vietnam was hardly a surprise. They are four-time World Cup champions and have been ranked No. 1 for all but 10 months over the last 15 years. Vietnam, ranked 32nd, is playing in its first-ever World Cup, and its coach likened the USWNT to a “mountain” on Thursday.
But this is a young and inexperienced U.S. squad. This is the first major international tournament for 12 of the 23 players, and six of the USWNT’s starters were making their World Cup debuts – including Savannah DeMelo, who got her first cap just 13 days ago.
As much as a win, this was an opportunity to get the youngsters experience and confidence for the rest of the tournament.
And, indeed, the USWNT dominated the game, both to the eye and on the stat sheet. They easily could have had a half-dozen goals in the first half – Alex Morgan missed a penalty kick and Vietnam keeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh made three other saves – and had already had two good chances before Smith got the Americans on the board in the 14th minute.
Horan, wearing the captain’s armband for the first time at a World Cup, floated a nice pass that Morgan moved forward with a backheel flick. It fell to Smith just inside the box, and she put it beneath the goalkeeper’s legs and into the net for her first World Cup goal.
Smith’s second goal came in stoppage time. Naomi Girma lobbed a short corner into the box that Tran punched back into traffic. Smith jumped on it and her shot had just enough power to get into the net. Initially ruled offside, it was confirmed as a goal after a review by video-assistant referee.
Horan added to the USWNT cushion in the 77th minute. Julie Ertz had lofted a pass from deep in USWNT territory that Smith brought down and played back to Horan in the middle. Horan took a touch, freezing the keeper, and then left fly from about 15 yards out.
First-time World Cup player Sophia Smith stole the show in the USWNT’s opening game, scoring two goals before halftime.
Smith got in on the action in the second half, too, notching an assist to fellow Colorado native Lindsey Horan for Horan’s score in the 77th minute.
USWNT next game
After a 3-0 win over Vietnam, the USWNT is next scheduled to take on the Netherlands in group play. That game will take place Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET in the United States, which is 1 p.m. Thursday in Auckland, New Zealand. (We know the time difference can be super confusing. Your best bet is to add Auckland to the world clock tab on your smart phone.)
The Netherlands game will be a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final, which the U.S. won 2-0. This year’s matchup is likely to be the Americans’ toughest game of group play. The Netherlands plays its first 2023 World Cup game vs. Portugal Sunday evening in Auckland.
As a reminder, the Americans are scheduled to play three group games before moving on to the knockout round.
- Friday, July 21: USWNT vs. Vietnam, 9 p.m. ET — a 3-0 U.S. win.
- Wednesday, July 26: USWNT vs. Netherlands, 9 p.m. ET
- Tuesday, Aug. 1: USWNT vs. Portugal, 3 a.m. ET
For Lindsey Horan, the third time was a charm.
In the 77th minute, Julie Ertz lofted a pass that Sophia Smith picked up and played back toward the center to Lindsey Horan, who had already taken, and missed, two shots. Horan settled herself and let fly from about 15 yards. It is her third World Cup goal all time. The score gave the U.S. a 3-0 lead over Vietnam.
Plenty of USWNT players got time in the Americans’ first World Cup game against Vietnam.
Alyssa Thompson, the teenager who was the No. 1 draft pick in the 2023 NWSL draft, subbed on in the 75th minute for the USWNT. She was the seventh player to make her World Cup debut Friday.
Thompson, who is just 18 and missed her high school graduation ceremony to train for the World Cup, made her first USWNT appearance Oct. 7, 2022. She has yet to score a goal for the Americans, though her speed makes her an instant threat.
In the 84th minute, Kelley O’Hara came in for Crystal Dunn, and Sofia Huerta subbed in for Emily Fox. It is also Huerta’s debut.
Sophia Smith’s tear continues, as she gave the USWNT a 2-0 lead in the 7th minute of first-half stoppage time.
After a long ball from defender Naomi Girma resulted in a scrum in front of the goal, the ball got recirculated to Smith, whose off-balance shot settled into the far corner of the net.
It was initially called offside, and replays seemed to show Alex Morgan just slightly in front of the Vietnamese defender. But VAR ruled the USWNT was onside, giving Smith a brace before the half.
For the half, the USWNT had 16 shots on goal, while Vietnam had 0.
Super subs Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle entered the game for the USWNT in the 63rd minute, replacing Alex Morgan and Savannah DeMelo, respectively.
It is Rapinoe’s 200th appearance for the USWNT. She said before the team left for New Zealand that this World Cup will be her last, and she will retire at the end of this season. Her legacy will endure on and off the field.
Lavelle being on the field was a welcome sight for many USWNT fans. The 28-year-old midfield, who scored three goals and won the Bronze Ball at the 2019 World Cup, has not played for club (OL Reign) or country since injuring her knee in a friendly against Ireland April 8. Some were worried she might be left off the U.S. roster all together.
Lavelle’s play was key in the 2019 World Cup, as her goal in the 69th minute sealed the USWNT’s win over the Netherlands in the final.
USWNT captain Lindsey Horan was issued a yellow card in the 56th minute, pretty much the only thing that’s gone wrong for the Americans in their opening World Cup game against Vietnam.
The U.S. leads 2-0 behind two goals from next-generation superstar Sophia Smith, as the Americans seek their third consecutive World Cup title and fifth overall.
When Julie Ertz took the soccer field with boys on the Phoenix Rising U-19 Academy Team — none of whom knew they’d be sharing the pitch that day with a two-time World Cup winner — Paul Taylor just smiled to himself.
“A few of the boys recognized her and they were saying, ‘What’s going on here?’” Taylor, who’s known and coached Ertz since her high school days, told USA TODAY Sports. “Well, within a few minutes they knew what was going on because it was, ‘Gimme the ball. Go there. Do it this way. Let’s go again!’
“For those few months, she was one of the guys and she earned their respect immediately.”
On the surface, it might have seemed like an odd match. Ertz — 31 and just a few months removed from giving birth to her first child, a son named Madden — versus a roster full of speedy, strong MLS hopefuls who only know how to play one way: fast and hard.
But, Ertz fit right in. And training with the academy team to get back into competitive form was more enjoyable than she could have imagined.
Read Lindsay Schnell’s full story here.
When 14-year-old Sophia Smith told her family she was giving up basketball to concentrate fully on soccer, her dad, who played college hoops at Wyoming, took the news hard.
“Man, Soph, you could really be something in basketball,” Kenny Smith told his youngest daughter.
Sophia’s matter-of-fact response: “I’m going to be special in soccer.”
Talk about prescient.
Now 22, Smith is set to make her World Cup debut this summer with the U.S. women’s national team and show international audiences what a growing domestic fan base has known for a while: She’s about to take over.
“Her ability to turn and go 1-on-1 is next level,” said USWNT teammate Naomi Girma, who plays for the NWSL’s San Diego Wave and was Smith’s teammate at Stanford. “To a defender, she’s annoying.”
Read Lindsay Schnell’s full piece here.
The penalty kick conundrum continues at the World Cup, as USWNT forward Alex Morgan missed a PK in the 44th minute that would have given the U.S. a 2-0 lead. The PK was awarded after Trinity Rodman was tripped in the box by a Vietnam player. It was an unusual miss for Morgan, one of the best scorers in the history of U.S. soccer.
Morgan missed the penalty and an open look off the rebound then collided with a Vietnam player on the second shot and was momentarily sidelined.
It only took Sophia Smith 14 minutes to leave her mark on the 2023 World Cup.
In the 14th minute of the USWNT’s opener against Vietnam, Lindsey Horan passed to Alex Morgan who passed to Smith, whose left-footed strike gave the Americans a 1-0 lead. The Vietnam goal keeper had no chance to save Smith’s shot.
Smith, who is making her World Cup debut, is expected to be one of the USWNT’s next superstars, a future she predicted when she was just 14.
The USWNT subs, including forward Megan Rapinoe, midfielder Rose Lavelle and goalkeeper Casey Murphy are already warming up, about 30 minutes into the Americans’ opening game.
U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski had said he would probably get the No. 2 keeper some playing time in the group stage so the team didn’t have another debacle like they did at the Tokyo Olympics, where starter Alyssa Naeher got hurt and backup A.D. Franch had to go in cold.
Less than a minute into their World Cup opener, the U.S. women’s national team, already hampered by injuries, is having issues.
Forward Trinity Rodman landed hard, and awkwardly, on her back just 30 seconds into the game when she was taken out by a Vietnam player. In obvious pain, Rodman stood up and walked off the field on her own power right after a stretcher came out on to the field. She stood on the sideline for a minute to catch her breath before going back in.
The starting lineup for the USWNT’s first World Cup game, against Vietnam, is out.
The biggest notes: Midfielders Julie Ertz and Savannah DeMelo are in, while midfielder Rose Lavelle will start on the bench. Trinity Rodman, who came off the bench to score two goals in the Americans’ 2-0 win over Wales in the USWNT’s send-off game, will also start, alongside fellow forwards Alex Morgan and Sophia Smith. Megan Rapinoe, the hero of the 2019 World Cup, is also available off the bench.
Here’s the USWNT’s full lineup:
Alyssa NaeherCrystal DunnJulie ErtzNaomi Girma Emily Fox Lindsey Horan (C)Savannah DeMeloAndi SullivanTrinity RodmanSophia SmithAlex Morgan
When does the USWNT play?
The Americans play their first Group stage game Friday at 9 p.m. ET. They face Vietnam.
How to watch USWNT in World Cup
Looking for what channel to watch the 2023 World Cup on? Fox will broadcast the tournament in the U.S. on both its main channel and FS1. It’s also available to stream on FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app. Spanish-language coverage will be on Telemundo.
See the TV listing for every game and add them to your calendar of choice here!
Yes, the unquestioned star of the 2019 World Cup, Rapinoe is back for the 2023 World Cup. It will be her last.
Preside Joe Biden will be watching Friday night, and probably cheering extra loud for Rapinoe. Last July, Biden awarded Rapinoe the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
USWNT schedule World Cup
The Americans are scheduled to play three group games.
- Friday, July 21: USWNT vs. Vietnam, 9 p.m. ET
- Wednesday, July 26: USWNT vs. Netherlands, 9 p.m. ET
- Tuesday, Aug. 1: USWNT vs. Portugal, 3 a.m. ET
For the first time in women’s World Cup history, the tournament will be hosted by two countries, Australia and New Zealand. (The 2022 men’s World Cup was hosted by Japan and South Korea and in 2026, it will be hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.)
Many people associate Australia and New Zealand with surfing, sandy beaches and stunning swimming spots, all happening in sunny weather. But it’s winter in the southern hemisphere, which means temperatures will be anything but scorching.
Here’s a look at the typical weather in Australia and New Zealand in July and August. Thirty minutes before kickoff Friday, the temperature was 57 degrees and partially cloudy.
Auckland is 16 hours ahead of the East Coast of the United States.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, better known as the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, is in New Zealand to cheer on the USWNT, according to his wife.
Emhoff visited practice earlier this week and before making the trek all the way to Auckland, he FaceTimed with USWNT captains Alex Morgan and Lindsey Horan, asking about the wide age range of this year’s roster. He assured Morgan and Horan they’d be able to hear him cheering during the Americans’ first game.
Penalty kicks have ruled the first five games of the World Cup … sort of.
Each of the games played so far in Australia and New Zealand have featured a penalty kick, though only one team has managed to capitalized. Australia defender Steph Catley scored in the 51st minute against Ireland Thursday, giving the Matildas a 1-0 win to open group play. It was an especially big win for the host country considering it will be without star forward Sam Kerr for at least a couple games due to a calf injury.
But probably the most noteworthy penalty kick came courtesy of Canada’s Christine Sinclair, who on Friday was trying to become the firs player in history to score in six different World Cups. In the 49th minute of Canada’s opening game against Nigeria, Sinclair, who has scored more international goals than any player, man or woman, had her chance to etch her name in the record books — but she missed, due in part to a brilliant save by Nigeria keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie.
The game ended in a 0-0 draw, a shocking result for Canada, which won gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
Understanding the different World Cup betting odds and wager types is paramount to learning how to bet on sports in general. Not only can bettors predict the winner of the event — BetRivers lists the Americans as +250 favorites — but there is also plenty of action around which player will take home awards such as the Golden Boot, which goes to the World Cup’s top goal-scorer.
In addition to shopping around for the best odds, the type of wagering you plan on doing will likely determine which online sportsbook is right for you. For example, sports betting apps such as FanDuel allow you to bet on the outcome of each individual game, while DraftKings offers a wide array of prop bets throughout the tournament — such as how many total goals will be scored in the game between the United States and Vietnam.
The USWNT has won four World Cups overall and are going for their third straight.
The 2023 World Cup marks just the ninth time the event has taken place. (The men’s World Cup, meanwhile, has been played since 1930.) The U.S. is seeking to become the first team, men’s or women’s, to win three consecutive titles. Germany, which won in 2003 and 2007, had a chance to do that in 2011 but couldn’t pull it off. The U.S. has won more women’s World Cup titles than any other country. Here’s a list of every women’s World Cup winner.
- 1991: United States
- 1995: Norway
- 1999: United States
- 2003: Germany
- 2007: Germany
- 2011: Japan
- 2015: United States
- 2019: United States
There are eight groups, four teams per group, with the top two seeds from each group advancing to the knockout round. The groups are as follows:
- Group A: New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
- Group B: Australia, Canada, Nigeria, Rep. of Ireland
- Group C: Costa Rica, Japan, Spain, Zambia
- Group D: China, Denmark, England, Haiti
- Group E: Netherlands, Portugal, United States, Vietnam
- Group F: Brazil, France, Jamaica, Panama
- Group G: Argentina, Italy, South Africa, Sweden
- Group H: Colombia, Germany, Morocco, South Korea
The World Cup starts with Group play and finishes with knockout rounds. There are eight groups, four teams per group, with the top two seeds from each group advancing to the knockout round. In Group play, each team plays three games. There are four rounds in the knockouts: round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and the final.
Here’s how the 2023 World Cup bracket is set up.
There are 32 teams in the World Cup.
The Americans are the overwhelming favorite to win the World Cup, which would be their third consecutive title. Virtually every sportsbook is in agreement that the United States is most likely to emerge victorious. For reference, a $100 bet on the USWNT to win it all at +225 odds would yield $225 in winnings, plus the original $100 wager.
Here is a full list of odds for each team to win the World Cup, according to Caesars Sportsbook:
- United States +225
- England +375
- Germany +650
- Spain +700
- France +800
- Australia +1200
- Sweden +1400
- Netherlands +1800
- Canada +2500
- Brazil +2500
- Japan +3000
- Norway +6500
- Denmark +8000
- South Korea +10000
- Portugal +10000
- Italy +15000
- New Zealand +15000
- China +15000
- Haiti +15000
- Colombia +15000
- Ireland +20000
- Zambia +25000
- Switzerland +25000
- Argentina +30000
- South Africa +50000
- Costa Rica +50000
- Jamaica +50000
- Nigeria +75000
- Morocco +75000
- Vietnam +100000
- Panama +100000
- Philippines +100000
With a wide array of legal online sportsbooks and sports betting apps operating in the majority of U.S. states, there is no shortage of options for wagering on the World Cup.
USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos with a number of operators that offer World Cup betting — including BetMGM, which is offering a $1,000 first-bet deal for our readers. If you sign up through this link, BetMGM will give you first-bet insurance of up to $1,000 if your first bet of at least $10 doesn’t click. The funds would be provided back to you as bonus bets with a 1x rollover requirement and no minimum odds restrictions. You can click any of the sportsbook links we’ve provided in this story to claim unique offers and promos for World Cup betting.
Who’s on the USWNT World Cup roster?
The 2023 World Cup roster is one of, if not the, most diverse in U.S. women’s soccer history. This year marks a passing of the torch, as a new generation of soccer talent makes its World Cup debut and tries to continue the Americans’ win streak. Of the 23-player roster, 14 will be playing in their first World Cup. You can learn more about each player from the U.S., as well as some of the standout international stars.
- Goalkeepers: Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars); Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage); Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit).
- Defenders: Alana Cook (OL Reign); Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns); Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage); Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave); Sofia Huerta (OL Reign); Kelley O’Hara (NJ/NY Gotham); Emily Sonnett (OL Reign).
- Midfielders: Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville); Julie Ertz (Angel City); Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon); Rose Lavelle (OL Reign); Kristie Mewis (NJ/NY Gotham); Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit); Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit).
- Forwards: Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave); Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign); Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit); Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns); Alyssa Thompson (Angel City); Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham).
Perusing expert predictions is a key part of preparing your World Cup betting slip in order to get an understanding of how teams match up with one another and their chances at making deep runs in the tournament.
Here are our expert predictions from the team at USA TODAY:
- Winner: United States.
- Final: United States 2, Germany 1.
- Golden Ball: Sophia Smith, United States.
- Golden Boot: Alexandra Popp, Germany.
- Biggest surprise: Crystal Dunn makes an appearance in the U.S. midfield.
- Winner: United States.
- Final: United States 3, Germany 2.
- Golden Ball: Sophia Smith, United States.
- Golden Boot: Sophia Smith, United States.
- Biggest surprise: Megan Rapinoe comes off the bench late in the semifinals to score the game-winning goal.
- Winner: United States.
- Final: United States 3, England 1.
- Golden Ball: Alex Morgan, United States.
- Golden Boot: Rachel Daly, England.
- Biggest surprise: Powered by its star player, Sam Kerr, and the emotional exhilaration of playing in front of the home crowd for every game, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Australia advance as far as the semifinal.
