USA Women vs Vietnam Women – Match preview, Live stream, kick-off time, prediction, team news, lineups
USA – who are hunting their third consecutive World Cup win – will start their 2023 World Cup campaign on Saturday (2 am UK time) when they go up against Vietnam in Auckland.
Whilst the USA are looking to continue their winning streak, Vietnam is making their first appearance at a men’s or women’s World Cup.
Match preview
US World Cup campaign
The US are the clear favourite – having won the World Cup four times already, including the last two tournaments in Canada and France.
They have reached the semi-final stage at all previous eight editions of the World Cup and will be expected to go all the way this time.
The US will also face the Netherlands and Portugal.
But things haven’t been completely smooth in recent times. The US have a lot of players out with injury and suffered three consecutive losses in recent times. In a friendly against Wales, the US won 2-0 but the Welsh – far lower on the Fifa ranking – managed to hold the World Champions for much of the match.
Vietnam World Cup campaign
Vietnam are preparing for their very first World Cup appearance after securing qualification via a playoff round at the 2022 Asia Cup.
The competition served as a World Cup qualifying tournament for the Asian Football Confederation. Vietnam lost in the last four to China and was forced to compete in a single round-robin playoff featuring the losing quarter-finalists apart from Australia, who qualified automatically as the co-hosts.
Vietnam went on to beat Chinese Taipei and Thailand.
Team News
USA captain Becky Sauerbrunn is out of the World Cup with a foot injury with Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan stepping in the role together.
They head into the WC also missing Abby Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis, Christen Press, Catarina Macario and Mallory Swanson, who have all been ruled out with injury issues.
Megan Rapinoe has announced she will retire at the end of the season. She is likely to start on the bench as her fitness has been called into question.
For Vietnam, Tran Thi Kim Thanh is expected to start in goal and is set to be put to the test.
It’s believed they will operate with a back five, which could feature Tran Ti Thu Thao, Luong Thi Thu Thuong, Le Thi Diem My, Tran Thi Thu and Hoang Thi Loan.
There likely won’t be many chances for Vietnam to score, but they can frustrate the World Champions – like Wales did – with some serious defending. All scoring chances for Vietnam will be on the shoulders of Huynh Nhu.
USA Women possible starting lineup:
Naeher; Fox, Cook, Girma, Dunn; Sanchez, Sullivan, Horan; Smith, Thompson, Morgan
Vietnam Women possible starting lineup:
Kim Thanh; Thu Thao, Thu Thuong, Diem My, Thi Thu, Thi Loan; Bich Thuy, Thanh Nha, Thi Van, Nhu; Hai Yen
WTX Sport says USA 3-0 Vietnam
The World Champions are the clear favourites and whilst we’ve already seen some upsets in the WC, we can’t see the US losing this one. The best Vietnman will be hoping for is a goalless draw and if they defend well, it is possible.
