AUKLAND, New Zealand — Sophia Smith scored a first-half brace on her Women’s World Cup debut as the United States got their bid for a third successive title off to a comfortable start with a 3-0 win over Vietnam on Saturday.
Rampant Spain issued a warning with a 3-0 win over Costa Rica while Switzerland ensured there would be no fairytale debut for the Philippines.
Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was meanwhile the hero for Nigeria by saving a penalty to earn them a 0-0 draw with Olympic champions Canada.
Smith scored twice and the two-time defending champions beat tournament first-timers Vietnam 3-0 Saturday for the Americans’ 13th straight victory in a World Cup match. Smith, who turns 23 next month and is playing in her first tournament, is the second-youngest US women’s player to score multiple goals in a World Cup game.
Horan, the team´s co-captain with Alex Morgan, added a goal for the favored Americans, who have won four World Cups overall and are vying for an unprecedented three-peat in this year´s tournament. “I love playing with Lindsey, she´s such a great player. She has such a good eye for things that a lot of players don´t see,” Smith said. “She understands my game. She understands the runs I´m making before I even make them.”
Spain’s build-up to the tournament in Australia and New Zealand was clouded by a simmering row involving a group of 15 players who refused to feature under coach Jorge Vilda.
hree eventually returned to the squad for the World Cup and one of them, Aitana Bonmati, was on the scoresheet in Wellington as La Roja launched wave after wave of attacks at the overwhelmed Costa Rican defence.
An own goal put Spain on their way and after Bonmati netted, Esther Gonzalez made it three in a ruthless six-minute first-half spell to kill off Costa Rica in double-quick time.
In truth Spain should have won by many more — Jennifer Hermoso fluffed a first-half penalty — and did not miss their two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas.
Putellas started as a substitute, but ominously for Spain’s rivals for the title, came off the bench for the last 13 minutes, allaying fears about a possible injury. She only returned in April from a serious knee injury.
This World Cup is just two days and five games in, but already there has been a penalty in every game.
In the first match, Nnadozie denied Canada and their record-breaking goalscorer Christine Sinclair from the spot in front of 21,410 fans in Melbourne.
Nnadozie called it a dream come true as both sides took a point in a tight-looking Group B which is topped by Australia following their 1-0 win over Ireland, again through a penalty.
“It was a great thing today that we were able to at least get something and it was a dream come true for me personally,” said the goalkeeper, who was named player of the match.
The 22-year-old Paris FC stopper said she wanted revenge on Sinclair — the all-time top scorer in international football — after conceding against the forward previously.
“When she took the ball, I was like, ‘Okay, it’s Sinclair again’, because the last time we played against them, she scored against me.
“I was very angry, and I told myself, this is the opportunity to make things right.”
The Philippines were beaten 2-0 by Switzerland as their World Cup debut fell flat.
The tournament minnows thought they had taken the lead in the first half in the New Zealand city of Dunedin but the goal was ruled out for offside in front of 13,711 spectators.
If that was the correct call, the VAR decision which gave the Swiss a penalty on the stroke of half-time was more contentious.
Ramona Bachmann was nevertheless unerring from the spot, sending goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel the wrong way.
The Swiss, ranked 20th in the world to their opponent’s 46th, were good value for their lead and doubled it in the 64th minute when Seraina Piubel slammed in a rebound from close range for a routine win.
Switzerland joined co-hosts New Zealand at the top of Group A on three points.
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