Day 5 of the women's world cup really didn't disappoint we had a late goal for the Netherlands to beat New Zealand 1-0, a bit of a delay in play due to storms during the Sweden Chile game where Sweden finally came out on top as 2-0 winners however, from what I have heard Chile and New Zealand were unlucky to not pick up a point. Then you had the USWNT playing their first game and showing the rest of the world they mean business with a 13-0 win, so my focus today is going to be on the USWNT Thailand game.
It is no secret I have a soft spot for the USWNT it is thanks to some of their players I am so into the sport as I am, they have had some real legends in the past and the current team include some of the greatest players in the game at the moment. It was nice to see Hope in the BBC studio too giving her opinions on the game and not actually being biased pointing out the things the USWNT has needed to improve in the past. It seemed to be a brilliant crowd too a lot better than the England Scotland game with less empty seats and over 18,000 fans there you can't knock the support the US brought with them, the Outlaws are brilliant.
When they line-up was announced I was really pleased to see Heath, Horan and O'Hara all picking up the starts. Heath has a huge ability in any game to be a threat as does Horan who knows how to command a midfield and create chances. O'Hara is a player I think is massively underrated so to see her get the start, especially not long after having surgery was brilliant. The USWNT could have had a dream start but Morgan was flagged offside and the first goal was ruled out, it just makes you wonder if she had left it would it have gone in anyway and stood? The USWNT came out to prove a point, that they could become back to back winners and they were absolutely all over Thailand in the first 5 minutes, with great movement and passing of the ball.
It only took 12 minutes for the USWNT to actually get off the mark and of course it was Alex Morgan who got the 1st and what a great goal it was, a brilliant chip into the box with Morgan connecting well with her head to send the ball into the back of the net, she really positioned herself well for this goal. To be honest I think the ball into the box was better than the actually goal as it was just so calm and composed whilst perfectly weighted. One player who had too much fun all the time they was on the pitch was Tobin Heath who really didn't hold back and looked like she loved running at the Thai defence whilst pulling off her signature skill set, she really is an amazing player.
Kelley played really well and put in some great balls to create some fantastic opportunities for the whole team and created space for them and herself, she at times seemed to be playing a bit of a midfield role instead of her usual defensive one and her ability really hasn't disappeared since her days as a forward at Stanford she is certainly an underrated player. It was actually thanks to a brilliant ball over the top from Kelley that Lavelle's goal came from. The brilliant ball over from Kelley to Morgan who then played another brilliant ball through to Lavelle who finished it of with a brilliant strike.
The referee really didn't seem to want to give anything to the USWNT Thailand were going in with some really heavy challenges that weren't called for and then there was 2 clearly penalty calls, the first one was obvious as if Mewis wasn't pulled back she would have got her shot away and possibly scored a goal? I really don't know how VAR didn't pick this up. Then there was the ungiven penalty for a challenge on Horan at first glance it didn't look like a penalty but after seeing it from different angles it was clear her legs were taken out yet another VAR didn't pick up.
Then came the 3rd goal for the USWNT a free kick taken by Heath which looked like a total miss kick but was actually a great ball into the box, unfortunately the ball completely bounced off Mewis but fell too Horan who brilliantly smacked it home to make the game 3-0. I was surprised to see Thailand making their first sub after just 34 minutes, I honestly thought they would have had the starting 11 play out the first 45 minutes. Morgan really amazed me through the full game as her skill level was almost on par with Heath's some clever little turns and back heels really helping out the team.
One thing I did notice though was that Rapinoe's crosses seemed to be all over the place in the first half, they definitely weren't what we were used to seeing with them going straight out or nowhere near the intended. Thailand's defence really played well just before half time they managed to keep out shot after shot from the US and managed to go into half time just 3-0 down.
Throughout the whole game the US didn't look like they were going to sit back at any point, even thought they were scoring goals and 3 nil up at half time they came out for the second half looking hungry for more goals. They were really calm and collected on the ball too just showing they know exactly what to do and how to do it there was no panicking and just hitting the ball and hoping for the best.
The USWNT 4th goal came from Mewis who managed to get a brilliant strike away which took a deflection from the Thai defender to end up in the back of the net. I really do believe if this was left the keeper may have stood a chance of saving it. From then on the goals came in pretty quick succession, a great delivery in from Heath with a good flick on from Horan the ball landed perfectly with Morgan who was once again in the right place at the right time and sent the ball into the back of the net to make it 5-0 to the US.
Yet another quick goal then came about a deflected shot from Lavelle which fell kindly to Mewis who was there ready and waiting to slot the ball home 6-0 to the USWNT. Then a great ball in from Dunn to Mewis set the way for the 7th goal of the night, Mewis played a nice ball into the centre of the box which Morgan left and Lavelle was there to slot the ball home which she did very calmly.
How many teams can say they at one stage had 3 players on a hat-trick in one game? Unfortunately though Lavelle wouldn't get the chance for a 3rd as she was brought off along with Heath for the entrance of Press and Lloyd, just what Thailand will have wanted to see at already 7-0 down. I would like to think this was done to rest Heath and Lavelle for the next game. Then they took Ertz off and brought on Pugh which I couldn't get my head around but it looked like they went to a back 3 for the remainder of that match, if anyone though I would have replaced O'Hara just to protect that ankle.
Then came Morgan's 3rd goal a nice little turn in the box after a great first touch with a nice finish it was nice to see Press get involved in this one by coming inside a bit and playing a great ball. At 8-0 you would think it would all be over wouldn't you? Nope the US carried on and Rapinoe got off the mark for the tournament too. Press once again pushing forward and playing a great ball into Rapinoe who hit it home for 9-0. At one point I actually forgot who was in goal for the US as Naeher barely had anything to do all game with no real tests. then came Alex Morgan's 4th goal of the night a nice little bit of play from Rapinoe who passed to Morgan whose first touch was once again brilliant and fired it home for 10-0 with a nice clinical finish. Morgan then turned provider setting Pugh on her way who cheekily took it passed the keeper and calmly slotted it into the back of the net.
Then Morgan turned scorer again with an amazing touch to take the ball around her defender and fire it home 5 goals for Morgan living up to her 2018 form already in this competition she is an absolutely fantastic player and surely is only going to get more and more goals throughout the competition. Carli then finally managed to get herself on the scored board another nice ball through from Morgan and some great movement from Lloyd who finished it off with a shot from the outside of her boot. 13-0 and the USWNT were absolutely ruthless for the full 90 minutes just showing the world what they are made of and they aren't just going to sit back how many other teams score 10 goals in the 2nd half, 39 shots throughout the game and 20 on target these are absolutely fantastic stats. You could see from the celebrations just how much it meant to them as a team when each goal went in. Some on social media are saying this is arrogant of them but honestly if it was your first game in a world cup wouldn't you celebrate like that? This team have worked so hard for 4 years to get to where they are they deserve to be able to celebrate any goal as they like whether its a 13-0 win or a 1-0 win these goals mean the world to the players.
If I had to choose a woman of the match it would be a tie between O'Hara and Morgan. O'Hara played absolutely fantastic for the full 90 and her movement and deliveries were excellent, she kept up with all the pressing attacks and made things happen through the game. I was really pleased with her performance especially to say she has just come back from ankle surgery it looks she never had the op or a rehab period she also defended really well. Morgan would also be a woman of the match due to her scoring 5 goals and her ability to find plenty of space throughout the game, creating chances for others and moving the ball around the pitch well. Her skill throughout this game was also great too and it really helped the team. It will also have helped her confidence too she wasn't having the best 2019 especially at club level so these 5 goals will have hopefully sparked something in her and seem to be getting 2018 Alex back.
See you soon
Lucy
