The U.S. Women’s National Team kicked off group stage play at the 2019 FIFA World Cup with a bang.
Jill Ellis’ side rolled to a 13-0 victory over Thailand in Reims on Tuesday, scoring 10 goals after the halftime interval. The win was the largest-ever in the history of the World Cup which also saw striker Alex Morgan score five goals herself.
The USWNT showed no mercy in the triumph, causing many fans to question whether or not the 10 second-half goals was needed. Thailand was held to two shots on goal in the match and only 28% possession, while the USWNT recorded 40 shots in total.
Now headed into a Matchday 2 contest with Chile on Sunday, it will be intriguing to see if the team gives some starters a break or not. A win over the South American side will most-likely clinch the U.S. a place in the knockout stage of the tournament.
With the result over, SBI wants to know what did you think of the 13-0 win? Could the team have relaxed in the second-half and called off the dogs?
Share your thoughts in the poll and comments section below.
[polldaddy poll=10341579]
When you recall how few goals the USWNT was scoring prior to the Finals in 2015, these early goals being scored are a BIG improvement, and worthy of celebration. A lot of HARD work was put in the last few weeks by our women, and they are entitled to each and every moment of celebration every time they score. And BTW, last year, Thailand beat Indonesia 13-0 in a “FRIENDLY” and per my review of the Thai TV video coverage of that match, there was more celebration by the Thai team after every goal than by the U. S. So lets not get so offended by a teams goal scoring celebration. Whatever it takes to get the U. S. going early this W/C is fine with me.
You need to remember than Thailand is no pushover. In the Semi-Finals of the Asia World Cup qualifying, Thailand took Australia into PKs at 2-2 before falling 3-4 in the PKs. When you can hold your own with Australia, Japan and China, other teams take you seriously. AND when they beat you, they will celebrate any successes they achieve!!!
What’s more classless: Megan Rapinoe celebrating a goal she took well against an admittedly overmatched opponent, or Maradona celebrating the Hand of God goal? Let’s move on…
Easy answer. Goal scoring and form? Keep it up, want more of it!
We are the target and more than ever now.
Anyone that wants to say a mens team wont run up the score, please. Anyone remember Germany burying Brazil in the knockouts in ’14. Dont recall let up.
Celebrations after 5,6,7… up?
Classless by Morgan and Rapinoe who have been there.
At the end of the day, these are women playing on the biggest stage. Everyone grow up. Thai team, use the experience as motivation. Woman up.
US, lets get it. U can celebrate your hearts out when beating the likes of France, Germany, and England.
Must be nice – on the mens side, we cant buy a win. Womens side, we are getting bashed for blowouts!
It was classless and disgusting. Both the piling on of goals in the final 15 minutes and the celebrations.
But what was worse was the need by some to cry sexism in response to the criticism The USMNT would never pile on a rub it in with excessive celebration, but there is a better comparison. The USWNT is the #1 team in the world. Watch any video of the #1 Men’s teams over the years like Germany,Brazil, France, Spain, etc. and you’ll see the celebrations stop by the 6th goal and be reduced to high fives and hand shakes. The also see the game out in the final 15 minutes rather than pile it on.
Also the goal differential argument is horseshit. #1 teams win whoever they play against and don’t care about goal differential.
Scoring is fine, the coach put the players out there, you play hard to the whistle. Could have taken off Morgan off after her hattrick, and subbing Lloyd on may have been piling on, given her shoot-first mentality, but I don’t blame players for scoring. Now, the celebrations were a bit over-the-top. I mean act like you’ve scored before! It’s Thailand, not Brazil.
of all the things to be upset about… come on people!
Thought the whole thing was classless and shortsighted. The result was locked down by the half. Only the insecure worry about goal difference, and it only matters if we tie Sweden. A team looking at the big picture locks its result, gets its subs on, plays keepaway, and tries not to burn all its energy game 1. Bears noting that it might be a more favorable path to the final to avoid France and finish second in the group. The reward for winning Group F is you play the winner of Group A in the quarters.
The bigger concern to me is the practical one that an easy game in a tournament context is a gift. You need to be ruthless against the elite. When you are handed an easy game in a tournament where you play twice a week you take it, and by taking it I mean earn the comfortable win and then shut down. You don’t need to burn 13 goals worth of gas. The morality to me is a concern but less so. Bears noting in that sort of game someone might get cranky and cleat someone so running up the score is not costless. That plus my energy argument.
Abby Wambach made the argument on twitter that these ladies work really hard to get to the world cup and to score a goal. Any form of celebration is okay because of that. Yes, I agree. they worked extremely hard to get to that point, however do they need to celebrate some much after the 8th goal? Score all the goals you want, but don’t be like Rampino kicking her legs around. I just don’t think you need to show up your opponents.
Another thing on twitter made it a gender debate. Yes, I would have this issue with the celebration if any men’s where to win 13-0.
It sucks for Thailand, cuz everyone else in the group is gonna try to get more than 10 goals on them due to the goal differential. Funny how the US women comforted the crying Thailand women. “It’s okay, keep you heads up. The butt whooping could have been way worse. good luck next game.”
I don’t tell my U9 kids to stop playing, but I give my other kids a chance to move up. If they score, they score.
I’m fine with the scoreline, but the celebrations went too far, particularly Rapinoe who was embarrassing. The vets should know better and this has nothing to do with it being woman. In fact, if it were a men playing (or perhaps if they were playing a Latin American team), they would likely be receiving some nasty studs up tackle after the 8th goal big celebrations.
Sorry, but if I’m playing in the pinnacle event of the sport I’ve been playing my whole life and working my ass off to get there, you can bet if I score I’m celebrating — no matter the scoreline.
Thailand took their lumps without complaining, and the US players rightly consoled them after the final whistle. Not sure why so many babies around the US and Canada feel the need to unload their outrage cannons.
It’s the World Cup. Winning requires ruthlessness. Thailand knew that when they stepped on the field, as should anyone else playing in this tournament.
Sure is fun to be real. real ruthless against Thailand. I thought it was a sign of weakness for the USA to not reach 2 dozen. I think other teams might take advantage of their inability to score more.
Yeah, the play & goals were fine. The celebrating like they’d just won the World Cup had me rolling my eyes. Pugh and, I believe, Mewis were making their World Cup debuts so I can understand them celebrating, but the veterans dancing and going nuts was just… bleh… Act like you’ve been there before. Reminded me of the montage at the beginning of BASEketball.