The result of the United States women’s national team’s 2023 FIFA World Cup debut looked good on paper to many fans, but with sky-high expectations comes a bit more criticism. The number of opportunities squandered by the USWNT jumped off the page, as they outshot Vietnam 28–0 but managed just three goals and seven shots on target.
When all was said and done, the USWNT will happily take the three points and use the opening performance as one to build upon. Star forward Alex Morgan echoed that sentiment, preaching the need for the team to exercise “a little more patience.”
“I think we saw a lot of glimpses of our potential, but I feel like we weren’t always clicking on the field,” Morgan said during Tuesday’s news conference, per ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle.
“I feel like some of the plays that we had were a little forced or rushed. So I think it’s having a little more patience, switching a little bit more, having our movements be a little more synchronized. And so I think we’re looking to apply that for this next game and moving forward.”
The USWNT was led by two goals from Sophia Smith and a third by Lindsey Horan in the opening World Cup victory, but they’ll face a bigger test in the second match of group play. Next up is the Netherlands in a rematch of the 2019 final with kickoff scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
