Teary eyed teammates pay tribute to Rapinoe
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The United States begin the defence of their Women’s World Cup crown as the four-time champions play Vietnam in Auckland tonight.
The USA are aiming to become the first team to win the World Cup three times in a row, with stars such as Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe returning from their victory in France four years ago. The defending champions are favourites to retain their title but they will face competition from the top European sides, such as England and Germany, who are confident they have closed the gap.
The stage is set for the next generation to shine, such as star forward Sophia Smith, who is one of 14 players in the squad who are making their first appearance at the World Cup finals. The USA also have a new head coach from four years ago, with Vlatko Andonovski taking over from Jill Ellis, who led the team to titles in 2015 and 2019.
Follow live updates as the USA begin their Women’s World Cup campaign.
Women’s World Cup LIVE: USA vs Vietnam
USA begin World Cup campaign against Vietnam (Kick-off 9pm ET, 2am BST)Defending champions are aiming to win their third World Cup in a row Megan Rapinoe is playing in her last World Cup before retirement USA are joined by Netherlands, Portugal and Vietnam in World Cup Group EShow latest update
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The Marching Song
Now it’s the Vietnam team’s turn. Their national anthem is Tiến Quân Ca, usually called “The Marching Song” in English, a military tune written in 1944 and adopted as the official anthem in 1976 following the USA’s defeat in the Vietnam war.
Io Dodds22 July 2023 02:00
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Oh, say can you see…
Here we go. The US women’s World Cup team is lined up for the Star-Spangled Banner, hands on hearts. It’s showtime.
Io Dodds22 July 2023 01:57
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Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam
As the only player in the Vietnam squad to play their football outside of the country and in Europe, striker Huynh Nhu will be familiar with some of her Group E rivals. The 32-year-old, who is Vietnam’s record goalscorer, plays for Portuguese side Lank Vilaverdense.
The experienced coach Mai Duc Chung, taking charge of his first and last major tournament, will look to bring the defensive organisation that earned Vietnam their historic place in the World Cup finals. Vietnam are one of the youngest teams in the tournament, with the women’s team only formed in 1990.
Vietnam are featuring in their first ever World Cup, men’s or women’s, and the size of their task is clear. The USA and the Netherlands are two of the most experienced sides at the tournament, while Portugal have quality they could only dream of. Vietnam have plenty of spirit but getting at least a point would be considered a success.
Jamie Braidwood22 July 2023 01:50
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US starting XI announced
We now know the US team’s starting XI:
Alyssa Naeher in goalEmily Fox, Naomi Girma, Julie Ertz, and Crystal Dunn in defenceAndi Sullivan, Lindsey Horan, and Savannah DeMelo in midfieldSophia Smith, Alex Morgan, and Trinity Rodman in front
Io Dodds22 July 2023 01:47
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Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam
The battle for the Women’s World Cup is underway, but the contest for the best kit at the tournament has never been stronger.
The biggest ever Women’s World Cup means there are more new shirts to dive into than ever before, while Nike and Adidas have taken their creative experimentation process to another level in Australia and New Zealand.
Like in 2019, the Women’s World Cup features a host of unique designs – with Adidas unveiling a selection of nature-themed kits and Nike taking inspiration from various artistic movements. The results are wild.
Here are the Women’s World Cup 2023 kits, ranked and rated from worst to best:
Jamie Braidwood22 July 2023 01:31
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Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam
Megan Rapinoe, 38, burst onto the global stage at the 2011 World Cup in Germany when she scored a screamer against Colombia and celebrated by grabbing an on-field microphone placed near the corner flag and crooning Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”. A star was born.
Since then, the iconic neon-haired winger has won gold at the London 2012 Olympics, bronze at the Tokyo 2020 games and both the 2015 and 2019 FIFA World Cups as an integral part of the US Women’s National Team (USWNT).
She was named player of the tournament at her last World Cup in France four years ago after scoring six – including a spotkick in the final against the Netherlands – and picked up both the Golden Boot and that year’s Ballon d’Or Feminin.
Jamie Braidwood22 July 2023 01:21
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Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam
USA striker Alex Morgan, 34, is one of the biggest stars in women’s football, already an Olympic gold medallist and a two-time World Cup winner.
The American is heading into her fourth FIFA Women’s World Cup and ranks in the top 10 in USWNT history in goals, assists and multi-goal games.
Morgan first caught the eye a decade ago at the 2011 World Cup in Germany when she was the youngest player in the American squad but, undaunted by the international spotlight, scored in both the semi-final and final as the US finished runners-up to Japan.
Since then, she has gone from strength to strength, shrugging off her old nickname of “Baby Horse” to be described as a “full-on stallion” by her international teammate Megan Rapinoe.
Jamie Braidwood22 July 2023 01:11
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Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam
USA striker Trinity Rodman is seeking to introduce herself on the international stage in Australia and New Zealand after making swift progress at domestic level playing for Washington Spirit, scoring 13 goals in 47 appearances since making her debut in 2021.
She will also be seeking to emerge from the long shadow cast by her famous father, Dennis Rodman, one of basketball’s greatest and most eccentric stars who was pivotal to the success of the “Bad Boy”-era Detroit Pistons and to Michael Jordan’s dominant Chicago Bulls team of the 1990s.
The star has largely been a remote figure in his daughter’s life as she was raised by her mother Michelle Moyer but Rodman has said she learned the importance of being reactive from watching clips of his performances on the court.
Jamie Braidwood22 July 2023 01:01
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Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam
No other team comes close to the USA’s history in the World Cup. With titles in 1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019, they are looking to become the first country ever to win three World Cups in a row, men’s or women’s. As always, the expectation will be high. The US has the biggest following of any team at the tournament and anything less than a fifth World Cup will be considered to be a huge disappointment. The rise of the leading European teams, England, Spain, France and Germany, means the competition has never been greater.
Jamie Braidwood22 July 2023 00:48
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Women’s World Cup: USA vs Vietnam
Vlatko Andonovski took over from Jill Ellis following the 2019 World Cup, faced with the task of taking a winning yet ageing team and transforming the squad. Perhaps there were always going to be bumps in the road and the 3-0 defeat to Sweden at the 2021 Olympics, which ended the team’s 44-match unbeaten run, was a sign of the challenge the Macedonian-American faces. Injuries before the World Cup have not helped.
Jamie Braidwood22 July 2023 00:38
