A huge roar from the 41,000-plus crowd greets the final whistle — and the reigning Women’s World Cup champions are well on the way to defending their title.
Team USA lead Group E after a 3-0 win over Vietnam at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday.
Newcomer Sophia Smith scored a first-half double and captain Lindsay Horan added a third in the second half in a dominating US performance that kept Vietnam’s defense busy.
Vietnam goalkeeper Thi Kim Tranh Tran made some crucial saves — including a penalty from US veteran Alex Morgan.
The US are chasing a potential “three-peat” at this year’s tournament.
Should the USWNT lift the trophy next month, it would be the first time in history that a team — men’s or women’s — has won three consecutive World Cup titles.