Prolific striker Alex Morgan netted five goals as United States began their Women's World Cup defense in style with a record-breaking 13-0 rout of Thailand in Reims on Tuesday.
The reigning champions had to wait five days to start their campaign but produced an ominous performance that doubled as the biggest win in tournament history, surpassing Germany's 11-0 trouncing of Argentina in 2007.
13 - The United States Women's National Team's 13-0 victory against Thailand today is the largest margin of victory in the history of the FIFA World Cup (men’s and women’s). Historic. #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/CyZxee3pAj
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 11, 2019
Morgan took her goal tally at international level to 106 with her well-taken haul, while Samantha Mewis added a double and was involved in setting up another two goals.
Jill Ellis' side had the three points in the bag with a 3-0 lead at half time but impressively, they did not let up after the break against a Thailand side who were well and truly out of their depth, the second half ending in truly embarrassing fashion for the underdogs.
Well, THAT was fun. 👀
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 11, 2019
Sit back, relax and watch the @USWNT's record-breaking #FIFAWWC performance in our 90 in 90 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/0LdFIaKVHs
An offside decision cost Morgan a fifth-minute opener but the prolific forward would not be denied, nodding in Kelley O'Hara's dinked cross with aplomb to open the scoring.
Morgan was involved in the second goal, too, playing a neat one-two with Rose Lavelle before the latter produced a 20-yard effort that Thailand goalkeeper Sukanya Chor Charoenying could only fumble into the back of the net.
Lindsey Horan got her side's third, reacting quickest to a goalmouth scramble to fire into the roof of the net, and only an incredible sequence of play - featuring a host of last-gasp blocks, a smart Chor Charoenying save and a penalty appeal – kept the margin to three at the break.
The floodgates opened early in the second half, though, as a hapless Thailand side conceded four goals in a six-minute period.
Mewis started things, getting the goal her terrific performance deserved with a deflected effort, before Morgan prodded home the fifth at the far post.
Mewis then made it six goals in her last five appearances for the national team when she pounced on a loose ball and soon turned provider as Lavelle swept in a cross.
3 - The United States is the first team in #FIFAWWC history to have three different players record a brace in the same match. History. pic.twitter.com/jNRRgeL0tw
— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) June 11, 2019
Morgan's hat-trick effort was a stylish goal, with quick feet winning her the space to fire in an excellent 15-yard finish, and Megan Rapinoe then finished smartly to end a fast break in style.
A fourth goal was to follow for Morgan, who rounded off her brilliant night with a fiercely hit fifth after Mallory Pugh had got on the scoresheet. Carli Lloyd capped off the night with the final goal in injury time, a three-minute period that must have felt like three hours for the Thailand players.
5 - Alex Morgan is the second player in #FIFAWWC history to score five goals in a single game, doing so 27 years and 199 days after fellow @USWNT international Michelle Akers managed this feat against Chinese Taipei in November 1991. Decimated. pic.twitter.com/kkl7kay7Rz
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 11, 2019
Chile should provide United States with a far sterner test on Sunday, while Thailand's next task comes against Sweden.
5+3 - Alex Morgan finished the match against Thailand with five goals (second player ever to do so in a #FIFAWWC match) and three assists (first ever in a WWC match). Only one other player has had three goals and two assists in a WWC match prior to this game. Masterpiece. pic.twitter.com/kRVYzkIWld
— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) June 11, 2019
