San Diego Wave forward Alex Morgan and defender Naomi Girma helped the U.S. Women’s National Team earn an opening match victory in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In the hunt to earn the United State’s fifth star, the USA defeated Vietnam 3-0 on Friday evening at Eden Park in New Zealand.

Both Morgan and Girma started for the U.S. as the team kicked off its quest for a third consecutive World Cup trophy. Morgan assisted on the first goal, and Girma began the sequence that led to the match’s second goal at Eden Park.

Morgan made an impact early, when in the 13th minute, the Wave and USWNT captain assisted forward Sophia Smith for the first goal, marking Morgan’s 50th career international assist. Smith made a perfectly-timed run off Morgan’s pass and separated from her defender, slotting the ball across the keeper to bring the score to 1-0.

In the added minutes of the first half, Girma sent a ball into the box that Morgan headed down to the feet of Smith, resulting in a left-footed shot past Vietnam’s keeper and into the goal. In the 77th minute, midfielder Lindsey Horan would secure the 3-0 victory with a goal.

Morgan subbed out of the match in the 63rd minute, closing out her 208th USWNT career appearance, while Girma played all 90 minutes for the USWNT in her 17th career appearance.

Tonight’s win put USA on top of Group E with three points thus far in the tournament as they look toward facing the Netherlands on Wednesday, July 26, at 6:00 p.m. PT. The Wave will host a watch party at Guava Beach Bar & Grill in Mission Beach to cheer on Morgan and Girma as they continue their World Cup run.

Notes: 

  • Tonight’s World Cup match marks Alex Morgan’s 208th career appearance for the USWNT.
  • Morgan recorded her 50th international assist tonight versus Vietnam in Sophia Smith’s first goal of the match in the 13th minute.
  • Defender Naomi Girma made her World Cup debut in her 17th international appearance and 15th career start overall for the USA. Girma, who played every minute for the USA at the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, has played the full 90 minutes in 11 of her 16 career appearances for the USA since earning her first cap in April of 2022.
  • Alex Morgan, who made her World Cup debut in 2011, appeared in her fourth FIFA Women’s World Cup and her 19th Women’s World Cup match. Morgan, the most capped player and leading scorer overall on this roster, has scored nine career World Cup goals, five of which came in the USA’s opening group stage match against Thailand in 2019. Morgan’s five-goal effort tied both the FIFA Women’s World Cup and U.S. Soccer single-game scoring records.