Sophia Smith had just recorded the best Women's World Cup debut by someone so young in U.S. women’s national team history—two goals and an assist—when she uttered the words that strike more fear into opponents than even the creepy commercial Nike recently released:
“I feel relieved,” she told Fox. “I was a little bit anxious going into the tournament.”
The U.S. beat Vietnam only 3–0 on Saturday (Friday ET) in its first game of the World Cup, squandering half a dozen other serious chances and posing some questions as the opponents only get stronger from here, but the game also provided an answer: Smith, who will also only get stronger from here.
