USA beat Thailand 13-0 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup

Leading by three goals at half-time, the US women’s national team (USWNT) would have been forgiven if they had elected to lift their feet from the gas pedal in the second half of their Women’s World Cup opener against Thailand. Instead, Jill Ellis’ side recorded the biggest ever victory in Women’s World Cup history, crushing Thailand 13-0 in Remis. Alex Morgan, Orlando Pride forward and stalwart of women’s football in America, scored five on an evening in which her side were utterly dominant. Chor-Charoenying made seven saves in the Thailand net, but her efforts were never going to be enough against the relentless reigning world champions.

The fixture played out as the scoreline would suggest. The USA dominated possession, peppering the Thai goal with 40 shots, as Morgan and Rapinoe toyed with the world’s 34th seed. Alyssa Naeher, in the American goal, needn’t have laced-up her boots, such was the extent of the USA’s dominance. The defending champions have lost just once since July 2017 and have now won seven games in a row, maintaining a goal-differential of +32 over that period. After her five-goal performance against Thailand, Morgan told the American press that “it was important for [the USWNT] to continue to go”, safe in the knowledge “that every goal could matter”.

It is ludicrous to suggest that Ellis’ side were somehow obliged to spare Thailand’s blushes

Ruthless, relentless and entirely unapologetic, this USWNT squad will not hold back in their quest to become only the second team to successfully defend the Women’s World Cup, following in the footsteps of Germany’s triumphs in 2003 and 2007. It is ludicrous to suggest that Ellis’ side were somehow obliged to spare Thailand’s blushes. The USA have, over the last decade, consolidated their position as a superpower in women’s football because of their unwavering commitment to winning. Hobbes was right, life under the state of nature – at least when playing against the USWNT – is “nasty, brutish and short” if you can’t keep up.

The runners-up in last year’s SheBelieves Cup, Ellis’ side arrived in France as the favourites to win a record fourth title. The growing strength of the women’s game in Europe also saw England, France and the Netherlands enter the competition heavily fancied to reach the latter stages of the 2019 World Cup, and the opening round of the Group Stage has done little to alter those expectations.

England, managed by Phil Neville, have made a slow start to the tournament

The USA were without the imposing Becky Sauerbrunn against Thailand, ruled out due to a minor quad injury; dominated regardless. Ellis’ side made the perfect start in Remis, but just how far could her side go? It would take an unprecedented capitulation for the USWNT to fail to reach the last sixteen, and it seems wildly unrealistic to expect the USA to endure anything other than a procession until the quarter-finals at the very earliest. 

Elsewhere, the Women’s World Cup has thrown-up few surprises. England, managed by Phil Neville, have made a slow start to the tournament, but their record remains unblemished following victories over Scotland and Argentina. Nikita Parris has, so far, led the way for England, proving once more that ‘The Lionesses’ are most dangerous when they attack down the right-flank. In Group B, Germany have been equally uninspiring; yet victorious they remain.

The Women’s World Cup has only just begun

The hosts, France, have made a brilliant start to the tournament, opening their account with a  4-0 win over South Korea, before narrowly beating a strong Norwegian side to confirm their place in the last sixteen. ‘The Reggae Girlz’ of Jamaica have performed admirably, but lag behind Italy, Brazil and Australia in Group C at this stage. The battle to top Group E between the Netherlands and Canada will be decided in Remis on June 20th, in a match-up which promises to be the most enticing of the Group Stages.

The Women’s World Cup has only just begun, but the USA and France already seem to be leading the way.