Unyielding Attitude of US Players Against Vietnam, the 'Wildcard

 

The United States, a four-times champion, will not take any risks when they begin their Women's World Cup campaign against the unfamiliar underdogs, Vietnam, at Eden Park on Saturday.

The American team is aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive title in Australia and New Zealand and, on paper, they are in a completely different league compared to Vietnam, who are ranked 32nd in the world and are making their tournament debut.

Although they have a tougher match against the 2019 finalists, the Netherlands, in their second Group E game, defender Crystal Dunn emphasized that they won't overlook the current match.

"We must focus on this game before even thinking about the second one," said Dunn.

While the team has some footage of Vietnam, they have never played against them. Despite this, Dunn believes Vietnam will bring their best game, and the U.S. is well aware of the challenge ahead.

Forward Lynn Williams acknowledged that Vietnam presents a "different style of play," making them somewhat of a wildcard.

"We'll need to be prepared to adapt," Williams told reporters. "We scout every opponent, but sometimes the actual gameplay is different from what we scouted. However, we trust each other to handle the situation."