Alex Morgan scored five goals while Rose Lavelle and Samantha Mewis each added two as the United States recorded a historic 13-0 win over Thailand in the Women's World Cup in Reims, France, on Tuesday.
The Americans, the world's top-ranked squad, had absolutely no problems dispatching their No. 34 opponents in the Group F match, the opener for both squads, played at Stade Auguste Delaune II. Tuesday's match broke the record for largest margin of victory in FIFA World Cup history for both women and men.
Morgan's five goals matches the most ever scored by an American woman in a World Cup game, equaling the five-tally performance by Michelle Akers in a 1991 contest against Chinese Taipei.
Morgan, a Southern California native, has more goals than not just any individual player so far in the 12 matches of the tournament, but also more goals than any team.
She told Fox Soccer in a postgame interview that the team was looking to showcase their skills in their opening game. When asked about her own incredibly successful performance Morgan said she was just looking forward to the next match.
“It’s incredible, I don’t know. I’m speechless," Morgan said. "The ball just bounced my way tonight and I’m so thankful."
The U.S. performance marked the biggest win in Women's World Cup history, topping an 11-0 win by Germany over Argentina in 2007.
Former World Cup champion and two-time Olympic medalist Abby Wambach defended the high number of goals from skeptics.
"For all that have issue with many goals: for some players this is there first World Cup goal, and they should be excited," Wambach wrote on Twitter. "Imagine it being you out there.This is your dream of playing and then scoring in a World Cup. Celebrate. Would you tell a men’s team to not score or celebrate?"
Goals by Lavelle, Morgan and Lindsey Horan gave the U.S. a 3-0 lead going into the dressing room, before the Americans really poured it on in the second 45.
Samantha Mewis scored twice and Lavelle and Morgan added one goal during a six-minute, second-half barrage to quickly make it 7-0. Morgan completed her hat trick in the 74th minute before she added two more goals along with tallies by Megan Rapinoe, Mallory Pugh and Carli Lloyd to complete the double-digit blowout.
American goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was forced to make just two saves in the clean sheet. The Americans fired 40 shots, compared to just two from Thailand.
The Americans return to action Sunday against Chile at 6 p.m. local time in Paris, noon ET.
