SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
Sophia Smith took her role in the starting lineup as a winner by depositing a pair of goals as the United States shut down Vietnam, 3-0, Friday night in first round play of the Women’s World Soccer Cup played in Ackland, New Zealand.
It was in a practice session prior to last season that 22-year-old Smith felt she wasn’t a favorite of head coach Vlatko Andonovski. She said she played hard, but didn’t feel the appreciation.
She had been left off the roster for the Toyko Games. Andonovski Said it was a tough conversation when he let her know his decision, but he’s been impressed with how she’s responded.
That’s correct, for Smith had made a quick ascent with the national team and with her club, the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League. She was, in fact, named NWSL’s Most Valuable Player and U.S. Soccer’s Player of the Year after last season.
And so when the red, white and blue took the field against Vietnam before a huge crowd at a far off land, there was Smith smiling and raring to go in the starting lineup.
In the 14th minute, she scored the first goal on a pass from Horan, and she and veteran Horan then celebrated with a choreographed handshake after the goal.
In the first half stoppage time, Smith tallied with a kick from left of the goal, with the tally at first flagged as an offside before a video confirmed it was good. Horan put the lone second half goal into a wide open net off a pass from Smith, and the recently engaged Horan then kissed her ring in celebration.
Horan scored with little time remaining on the scoreboard clock. It was on her side’s shot out of a total of 25, and was a match where outplayed Vietnam did not take a shot at the goal. It had some close ones, but the United States defense was just too experienced.
The U.S. roster was infused with young talent, and in the second half, the youngest, 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson, entered the game. There was also the team’s leading scorer, Trinity Rodman, 22 and daughter of former pro basketball star Dennis Rodman, and she and Smith were able to avenge the bronze medal award against Japan at the Tokyo Olympics.
Among the veterans, 38-year-old Megan Rapinoe, who scored in the World Cup final versus France, was limited by injury and took the field along with previously injured midfielder Rose Lavelle in the 63rd miniute.
Rapinoe, who recently announced this would be her last World Cup match, sported bright blue hair and appeared to be having a dandy time. Veteran star forward Alex Morgan suffered a calf injury after missing one of her few penalty shots that she also missed on the rebound, but returned not long after.
Rodman suffered a back injury and was carried to the sidelines on a stretcher in the first half, but was back in play early in the second half as her dad welcomed her from the stands.
This group plays all of its matches in New Zealand in the country’s largest city, and the Americans expect a much tougher opponent when they face the Netherlands Thursday in a 2019 final rematch in Wellington. Portugal, in its first time in the World Cup, completes the bracket and will meet up with the Netherlands Sunday in Dunedin.
It was not a high scoring game, but the Americans did come away with plenty of shots, Vietnam had none, and it was a case of the red, white and blue just controlling matters throughout. It is seeking its sixth World Cup and a record third straight, both records.
