The United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) emerged victorious from its 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup debut with a 3-0 win against Vietnam. On paper, that’s a solid result, but it’s fair to say USWNT’s performance wasn’t nearly as dominant as we expected.
It it time to worry?
The #USWNT dominated. Vietnam had 0 shots to USA's 28. And yet somehow, we still have concerns. Watch/Listen!
— The Cooligans (@SoccerCooligans) July 22, 2023
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Christian kicks off the recap by expressing some concern about the squad’s chemistry. Alexis agrees, raising a lineup question:
“Julie Ertz at center back, what is going on?”
While it was certainly an interesting decision, Christian points out that defense wasn’t the issue in this match, as Vietnam had NO SHOTS. The duo wonder if manager Vlatko Andonovski decided to try out this lineup due to the talent disparity between USWNT and Vietnam, when in reality it would look different against a stronger opponent.
“There was a lack of fluidity,” Alexis says.
Christian believes everyone performed well, but some players — such as Trinity Rodman — were forcing the issue a little too much offensively.
One shock during the match was the sub appearance of Rose Lavelle, as many expected her to miss time due to injury. However, she played very well and looked fresh, which was a nice surprise.
Overall, it was a solid debut for USWNT, but there are plenty of things to work on moving forward.
We didn't hit our @DKSportsbook parlay, but we honestly got wild hyped after Sophia Smith scored the first goal, but then Alex Morgan missed her penalty. #USWNT #FIFAWWC
— The Cooligans (@SoccerCooligans) July 22, 2023
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Want to hear more from the Cooligans? Check out the full episode, which includes expanded thoughts on the USWNT-Vietnam match, other World Cup contests, and Messi’s Inter Miami debut!
SHOW BREAKDOWN
USWNT Win But Should We Be Worried?
- The Women’s World Cup is here, so check in with The Cooligans everyday for the best and funniest coverage of the tournament down under! The USWNT dominated Vietnam in their opening match at the World Cup, but for some reason, it didn’t fill us with a ton of confidence that they will complete the three-peat. We break down the lineup and talk about who impressed the most. We’ll also recap several other WWC matches, and also give our thoughts on Messi’s first match for Inter Miami in Leagues Cup!
Watch more below!
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