USWNT KICK OF WORLD CUP IN LESS THAN 5 HOURS 🏆

Welcome to The Women’s Game, our new email newsletter, designed to deliver a concise, intelligent framing of every day of football during the World Cup so you can maximize your viewing pleasure. If you like what you read below, our only request is you forward it to a football-loving (or football-curious) friend.

SUBSCRIBE HERE

It’s Friday, July 21st. Give us four minutes, we give you everything World Cup.

“Are you going to crush us like Thailand?”: A Vietnamese reporter asks Vlatko Andonovski if we can expect 13 goals Friday night in the USA’s opening match

I. Pressing questions ahead of US opening test with Vietnam 🇺🇸🇻🇳

Will creative game changer Rose Lavelle play?

While the exact details of Rose Lavelle’s fitness remained an opaque point of distress through World Cup preparation, US manager Vlatko Andonovski shed some light on Lavelle’s (and Rapinoe’s) fitness heading into tonight’s match:

“Rose is actually really good, she's trained with the team for three weeks, even though off and on she trained with us even a little bit before that. She's ready to play, and we're not going to force a lot of minutes from the very beginning. We'll ease everything up as we move on.”

With that, it appears the Lavelle-eager public can exhale ever so slightly, knowing the creative lynchpin of America’s midfield is ready to appear… at some point. As for tonight’s match with Vietnam, it seems that Lavelle (as well as Megan Rapinoe) may be used cautiously as substitutes, if at all.

Can the US launch their three-peat campaign with as much earth-rattling, goal-scoring, firepower as they did in 2019?

That’s the hope, though they’re preparing for the opposite.

The US has scored 138 total World Cup goals, the most of any nation. Thirteen of those came against Thailand in the first match of a successful 2019 run, a trouncing that truly propelled them.

There have been a smattering of pre-tournament questions about whether the USWNT foresee a 13-0 type of performance on the horizon, especially with two tournament newcomers in their group (Vietnam, Portugal).

The resounding collective reply has been something to the tune of: No, Vietnam puts out strong performances, the field has never been more competitive, and this isn’t 2019.

Speaking to Vietnam specifically, Andonovski commented:

“Especially after watching them play against Germany in their last game, we know how dangerous they can be.”

Vietnam’s preparations have included everything from an impressive 2-1 loss to world No. 2 Germany, to a 0-9 loss to Spain. Andonovski acknowledged that, adding that they are prepared for a test as tough as the one Vietnam gave the Germans: “We're preparing to see the best Vietnam team that has ever been on the field”.

While the US has emphasized ad nauseum that tonight’s match may not look like that controversial 13-0 defeat of Thailand in 2019, make no mistake: the goal this evening will absolutely be to roar out of the gate with a huge number of goals to run into this tournament with momentum.

Programming Alert: 🚨US Women’s National Team World Cup Winner Sam Mewis and I will Do It Live on Amp right at the final whistle of this game. We cannot wait to raise a victory pint with you and answer your questions live on the Pod. Download the AMP app or listen on your laptop HERE. You can also tell your Alexa, “Hey Alexa, play Men in Blazers” while we’re live and you can listen in.

II. Canada 0 - Nigeria 0 is the most exciting match yet… no, really 🇨🇦 🇳🇬

Last evening’s (east coast time) tough battle between Canada and Nigeria embodied the highly entertaining, relative parity of Group B. The so-called group of death delivered on fierce defending, goalkeeper heroics, lethal attacks followed by threatening counters, and a hard fought grudge match resulting in a few cards.

The defining moment of the match came just after the half, as the 0-0 scoreline looked ready to break in Canada’s favor. Canadian GOAT Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns) drew a penalty but when taking it, Sinclair rolled it to the right corner where it was stopped by standout 22-year-old keeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC).

THE STATE OF GROUP B: The draw earns a point for both teams in what seemed like disappointment for reigning Olympic gold-medalists Canada, whose goal of placing first in the group looks slim. With Australia atop the pack after defeating Ireland, the Matildas greet Nigeria next while Ireland and Canada face-off in what could be a fate defining evening for both.

III. Philippines side with 18 US born players fights to tight 2-0 loss against more experienced Switzerland 🇵🇭🇨🇭

If you’re looking for a second team to support, the Philippines might do the trick for Americans as the debutante side features 18 US-born footballers and a 16-year-old high school student from Texas, Isabella Pasion, acting as alternate.

With just 26% of possession, firing off three total shots (none on target), the Philippines put out a commendable defensive effort that was broken open just twice by the Swiss. That defensive effort hinged upon heroics from Laguna Beach, Calif.-born keeper Olivia McDaniel (So Cal Union), who kept the margin of victory close with six saves.

Ramona Bachmann (PSG) struck first in the waning moments of the first half from the penalty spot, and Seraina Piubel (Zurich) followed in the 63rd.

THE STATE OF GROUP A: After a record win against Norway in the opener, this group truly is New Zealand’s for the taking. Switzerland defeated the Philippines but looked beatable in the process. And the Football Ferns will be favored against a well-organized but outmatched Philippines side, who they play next. Norway (the presumed runaway favorites) will need to convert their quality to convincing performances starting with Switzerland up next.

🇺🇸🍻 Perhaps to prepare for the crazy kick-off times, we have spent the week getting up at 1 in the morning to spend time one-on-one with our US stars, starting with young rock Naomi Girma, game-changer Trinity Rodman, and that perpetual glue-person Emily Sonnett for a new series “Direct from Down Under,” Presented by our friends at Bud Light. I am happy to report, vibes are good, confidence is high, and the focus seems incredibly locked on. These interviews have been a blast to tape – these players are so singular, their personalities so distinct, and perhaps it is something to do with the middle of the night taping-time, but they have often been hilarious. Know this: I asked each as many of your questions as I could. Keep sending them. LISTEN TO OUR FIRST EPISODES WITH NAOMI GIRMA AND TRINITY RODMAN. 🇺🇸🍻

IV. Spanish goals pour in fast: La Roja score three goals in six minutes, overcoming Costa Rica 3-0 🇪🇸🇨🇷

With a staggering (though unsurprising, this is Spain after all) 80% of possession, La Roja outshot Costa Rica 46 to 1. With 12 on target, two went in. They were met by an own-goal to collect three points and defeat Las Ticas 3-0.

The own-goal came first, arriving in the 21st minute as Valeria del Campo Gutierrez (Monterrey) failed to clear a dangerous cross from Esther Gonzalez (Real Madrid).

With Costa Rica’s focus clearly rattled, Spain piled two more on in the following six minutes. Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona) collected her goal just two minutes later and Esther Gonzalez volleyed home a rebound from the crossbar to make it three.

Portland Thorns’ Rocky Rodriguez scored Costa Rica’s first World Cup goal back in 2015 (also against Spain), but was unused in the loss. AP reported the absence as “unspecified injury” with hopes she’d make the next match.

As for Spain, two-time Ballon D’or winner Alexia Putellas (Barcelona) was also unused. Though Putellas started for Spain in pre-tournament friendlies (after returning from an ACL injury) it seems Jorge Vilda may manage her minutes early in the tournament.

V. Coming up: Japan vs. Zambia is the match to watch and England’s Lionesses launch their campaign 🇯🇵🇿🇲🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇭🇹

Zambia vs. Japan (3 a.m. EDT, FS1) 🇿🇲 🇯🇵

With Spain near-assured to progress from Group C, the test between the foreboding debutante dark horse Zambia and technically gifted 2011 World Cup winners Japan may dictate who escapes by their side.

England vs. Haiti (530 AM EDT, FOX) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🇭🇹

Like the US, England’s Lionesses will look to tear into Group D with a fierce momentum that puts their current three-game goal drought far behind them. Haiti, despite some real quality in their ranks, will look to hang on.

Denmark vs. China (8 AM EDT, FOX) 🇩🇰 🇨🇳 

Denmark return to the World Cup for the first time since 2007, equipped with some elite talent but facing a tough test in tournament regulars China, who they’ve yet to beat at this stage. The pair sit neck and neck in FIFA’s ranking with Denmark 13th and China 14th, and are set to battle in a match that could determine who escapes second in Group D.

VI. News and notes:

• England’s decorated goalkeeper, Mary Earps, has criticized Nike for not making her replica goalkeeper shirt available for purchase. Earps, whose frequent heroics for the Lionesses played a key role in their European trophy, says the decision will marginalize young goalkeepers.

• US training facilities outside of Auckland are reported to be top notch. But a Wellington-based Netherland side has criticized their training facility, which contains a cricket pitch in the middle of it. Dutch manager Andries Jonker told reporters: “We want to play a good first match against Portugal here, we want to have a top preparation, a top tournament and we also consider ourselves a top team. This does not fit. This fits with amateurism of the highest order.”

• The US Women’s National Team Players Association partnered with Visa to help subsidize the cost of bringing their family members to the World Cup. Lynn Williams: "When it's so far away and not everybody's retired or can take this amount of time off, to have that burden not be put on them and be put on Visa, it's a weight off our shoulders, the weight off our families' shoulders.” 

VII. Parting Shots

Alana Cook’s suitcase mystery is solved. Naomi Girma told Rog all about it on the pod, LISTEN HERE.