USWNT vs. Vietnam: Top Storylines, Odds, Live Stream for Women's World Cup 2023

The United States women's national team begins its Women's World Cup title defense on Friday night (9 p.m. ET, Fox, Fox Sports app, FoxSports.com) against Vietnam.

Vlatko Andonovski's side is expected to cruise past the first-time World Cup participant with tougher games on the horizon in Group G.

Andonovski's goal throughout the group stage should be to find the right balance of players in the starting XI, and figure out who would be more effective coming off the bench.

The USWNT possesses an abundance of top forwards in Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, Alex Morgan, Lynn Williams, Megan Rapinoe and Alyssa Thompson.

The Americans must be secure with their unit in front of goal. Becky Sauerbrunn's injury created a big hole at center back. The USWNT can use Friday's match as an opportunity to play into some comfort in a World Cup contest.

Vietnam holds the chance to pull off one of the most stunning upsets in World Cup history in its first-ever match. The Asian nation played Germany and New Zealand close in two pre-tournament friendlies, but it comes into Friday off a 9-0 friendly loss to Spain.

Vietnam could make life hard on the Americans for a half, or we could see total dominance from the USWNT, like we have in so many previous World Cups.

Match Odds

Carmen Mandato/USSF/Getty Images for USSF

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - JULY 09: Trinity Rodman #20 of USA celebrating her goal during an international friendly game between Wales and USWNT at PayPal Park on July 9, 2023 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Money Line

United States (-20000; bet $20,000 to win $100)

Vietnam (+5500; bet $100 to win $5,500)

Over/Under

Over 6.5 (-115)

Under 6.5 (-120)

USWNT Need Strong Opening Performance to Set Tone for World Cup Repeat

Carmen Mandato/USSF/Getty Images for USSF

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - JULY 09: Alex Morgan #13 of the United States strikes the ball during the first half of an international friendly against Wales at PayPal Park on July 09, 2023 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

The USWNT is expected to beat all three of its Group G opponents on its way to first place.

That is the way things are when you are the top-ranked team in the world and two-time World Cup reigning champion.

The squad went through some changes due to injuries and retirements over the last four years, and success in Australia and New Zealand will be determined by how well some of those World Cup squad replacements perform.

For example, Megan Rapinoe can still play some sort of role in the USWNT attack, but she will be in more of a supporting role to Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman.

Smith and Rodman will be vital to taking some of the pressure off Morgan's shoulders in the final third. They could earn a ton of chances against Vietnam to ease their World Cup debut nerves.

The same can be said about the back line, where Sauerbrunn's injury forced the USWNT to scramble and plug in the inexperienced pair of Naomi Girma and Alana Cook.

There is still plenty of experience throughout the squad with Morgan, Rapinoe, Julie Ertz, Lindsey Horan and others, but the younger core is important to repeating the World Cup victory, and all of those players could receive a massive confidence boost from dominating Vietnam over 90 minutes.

Vietnam Making World Cup Debut

Marco Steinbrenner/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

OFFENBACH, GERMANY - JUNE 24: Nha Nguyen Thi Thanh of Vietnam and Chantal Hagel of Germany battle for the ball during the Women's international friendly between Germany and Vietnam at Stadion Am Bieberer Berg on June 24, 2023 in Offenbach, Germany. (Photo by Marco Steinbrenner/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Vietnam could not have asked for a more difficult task to open its first-ever World Cup.

The Asian side entered June with a 6-1 record in its last seven matches, but it faced tougher competition to build up to the 32-team tournament.

Vietnam only lost by one goal to Germany in a true road game on June 24, but its lone goal came in second-half stoppage time when the result was already decided.

Vietnam then lost on a pair of first-half goals to New Zealand and were blown out by nine goals in a friendly against Spain to finish its World Cup preparations.

The Group G underdog should try to stay with the USWNT on the scoreboard for as long as possible to preserve its goal differential in case it needs that tiebreaker in competition for a knockout-round spot.

The USWNT should dominate possession and create a ton of chances, so it Vietnam can absorb that and get to halftime in a decent spot, it could produce a respectable score line.

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