This is hardly the Thailand team of 4 years ago. Of late Vietnam has played a pair of highly competitive games facing top opposition. One surprise, the US front 3 have yet to get in a game together yet, that should make things interesting
These two have never met before and the first player named is Dunn of RVC. What a blow Rodman took in the first seconds. Brought down with a hard blow just below her midsection and is suffering possibly more from the impact of her rough landing, the stretcher came out but she walked off. A free kick now for the US and the opponent is in front of it drawing a whistle. The ball is in the area, bouncing around and no able to be shot as Horan gets it a bit high, Morgan with a hard shot, it comes right back out as it is blocked, then shot well over the goal. Another foul, tripping by Vietnam from 40 or so yards. As our friend JP calls out that Ertz is deadly in the air it goes to her and is nodded just wide. Aly a part owner of Queensboro comments that she is deadly as well. A pass almost driven out. The ball again comes from the other direction as it goes to Horan who gets her shot off the inside of the foot of the netminder and out, but offside. Vietnam is stepping in front of many passes and disrupting the attack, a good tactic but if beaten you are done. Dunn getting very forward thus far, sends one high off a partial deflection to the area and it bounces out of the area. Horan from Dunn loses her footing, wins the corner. Fox slips, covered by Ertz, played out of touch, US throw. Dunn gets forward, but the lead pass is too far beyond her. Morgan lays it off to Smith who sends it home at 14’. A ball across the six is covered by the GK, Rodman had more red than white shirts there. Over 41 games when they score first, the US has yet to lose, a great graphic put up by FOX. Another pass broken up, Horan loses her footing and is now well forward, Horan takes it back and gives to Ertz. Rodman puts it in the area played in for a first time shot that just did not have enough behind it. Smith tried to beat 3, nothing doing. Over the shoulder to Rodman, bodied off it goes back to the US and the shot fails by Demelo. Dunn fouled hard holding her ankle but gets forward for a quick restart, stopped by the ref. Smith with a quick shot, blocked wins the corner. Demelo over the ball Morgan spoken to by the ref, Morgan the target goes away from goal but a bit high for her. 139-38 is the overall score line for goals for the US in WC play. Smith to long from Dunn after Morgan played it back some 25 yards from the endline. Demelo for Morgan and just wide as she shoots across her body and goal. Rodman on the wing for Sullivan who finds Morgan the keeper covers her attempt but she was off. Ertz, long and high to Horan who looks to redirect into the area but not so well. Another foul by Vietnam on Smith. Into the area, the GK pushes it out sending her own player to the ground, right back in high again for Ertz and then back out again too wide as it is sent in again. Horan works hard to get it to Smith who tries to send it in. blocked out for a throw very deep. Into the area and high by Smith who wants the corner. Horan for smith who tries to pull it back in, pushed over the endline by the defense another corner coming. Again Morgan near the GK Ertz gets to it heads it down as she should but holding her head and remains down, She is up then down again, seems the ball on the return bounce from the ground took quite a blow from the ball. Ertz is off the field and remains there. Horan on the ground as her player turns on her. Ertz is back. Naeher clears a ball under light pressure. The US has 2x the passes as does Vietnam and a huge advantage in possession. A ball too high for Morgan grabbed up by the GK. Rodman to Morgan and back as Rodman is ripped on the edge of the area no whistle VAR review it was a foul the defender did not get the ball but did step on the foot of Rodman, I just muted and missed what Dr. Joe said. The defender further brought her leg behind again to assure tripping her. The call is PK, 100%. it will be taken by Morgan of course at 43’. A goal is a great way to close out the half. Morgan goes left, as does the GK she blocks it with her body, the rebound by Morgan just wide right. A soft kick and not well placed either. Alex is now down and this may just energize Vietnam as they go into the half maybe down just 1-0. Alex is telling the trainer she is ok, but what would you expect. 8’ extra time between a few injuries and the pk. Fox ends up with a ball cleared, pressured by a pair, she turns on one, megs the other then the third contests and wins a throw in. Smith on the wing from Dunn goes near post, it is deflected and pushed out by the GK, another corner. It goes to Horan she moves it to goal on a half miss, Morgan flicks to Rodman but defense cleans it up. Fox leads Horan the defender gets it over the endline. Sullivan shot to Fox and it gets to Smith but a whistle calls it back. VAR taking more time as it was a goal flagged. Appears Morgan had a shoulder too forward. But the goal stands. At 55’ the goal was scored 2 minutes beyond extra time.
The US has got to get more shots off and move the ball faster to avoid the fouls. Vietnam must do better with their limited chances.
Off the kick, Smith gets it in front of the net and though a bit extended needs to do better as she swipes at it sending wide. Horan with a cross, looking for the handball gets it, very near to a corner kick a few yards off the endline and touch line. Driven to goal, Ertz, putting her head places she should not gets to it and it goes high as bodies fly. Another hard tackle and another US player comes up limping as Fox is clearly in pain. Rodman gets around the defender, plays it right into the path for a first time strike by Horan, she takes it well inside of the foot but sees it well wide. A wide cross run down by Horan very deep gets to Dunn then back near the half way mark and back in Vietnam has a player down from getting sandwiched by their charging GK & Morgan, Dunn a bit off the mark, Horan recovers and gets it back. Demelo goes endline and a pair of Vietnam players collide staying down, corner by Demelo, looking for Morgan is headed out and high short clear is take by Ertz who gets a call and again the players crowd the ball, 4 yards off the endline and touch line again, like a corner driven too high for the US and boxed over for another corner. Ertz gets it and a tip drill for the GK. Horan gets the first card, well deserved as with her high shoe goes studs up and hits the shin of the red clad player. The ball, driven in is headed out by Horan. Rodman runs it down conceding a throw. Another US throw. Sullivan and another collide the Vietnam player is writhing in pain, striking the ground and holding her hip, thigh area. DFK US from 45 yards Sullivan over the ball finds Horan and the GK grabs it. The US players have learned to at times jump to avoid the contact with challenges. Lavelle is in at the 63’ Morgan is out. Not on Dunn but she has had many poor passes sent her way here was another by a recent sub. Fox on a broken play not taking the first touch shot lets it bounce and she skies it. Vietnam working the ball well, a long ball headed away by Ertz. Many passes here for the US have been well off pace. Horan with plenty of space takes the 30 yards with the ball at her feet. Fox just off to Rodman as both talking heads touch on this now. Lavelle with a pass, right to her teammate who strikes it as it is rising and of course it goes higher yet, Horan and Vlatko are entertained. Horan misses the ball stuck under her feet, gets dropped, no call. The crowd goes wild as Vietnam have a 3 on 5. Through ball for Smith has too much on it. A yellow issued for the team trailing for not getting a player off the field fast enough. Horan gets one of the rebounds, 3-0 at 77’. She struck it nice and calm as her near miss earlier. Ertz with a long ball for Smith and from near the penalty mark she just struck right through ball sending it home as the GK was way out of position. DFK for the US and it is way off the mark from a bit of a distance. Smith runs out of room and the wing but gets the corner. It is sent goal ward and over the endline, another corner. Smith getting leaned on then during the kick Horan is on the ground. Smith for Lavelle but off the bar on her first attempt on the net. Smith tries to beat three and gets a whistle on her. On a slide tackle with her studs up, O’Hara glances off one shin and the player is feeling it. 91’ USA 24 attempts on goal, Vietnam 0. Horan for Lavelle from 36 yards hits the top of her head high and wide.
Before next game the US must increase the accuracy of their passes and get off shots on goal, the quality of today may lose to their next opponent.