United States’ Alyssa Thompson (7) shields the ball from Vietnam’s Thi Thu Thao Tran through the Ladies’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the US and Vietnam at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, on July 22, 2023.
| Photograph Credit score: AP
Alyssa Thompson was only a starry-eyed 14-year-old when she watched the 2019 Ladies’s World Cup closing on tv at her aunt’s home — now the US ahead is enjoying on the event.
The Los Angeles native got here on for her World Cup debut as a late substitute within the holders’ 3-0 win over Vietnam in Auckland on Saturday.
She was simply 14 when now-teammate Megan Rapinoe and the Individuals received 2-0 in opposition to the Netherlands — the US’ opponents on Thursday -— in 2019 to retain the trophy.
“I used to be at my aunt’s home and I used to be watching it there as a result of we didn’t have TV at residence,” Thompson, now 18, instructed reporters in Auckland.
“I used to be surrounded by my complete household, we have been watching the sport and I simply bear in mind how intense the sport was, how backwards and forwards it was, and I used to be actually nervous for the crew.”
Targets by Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle gave the USA their second straight title and their fourth general that day.
They’re favourites to retain the trophy this yr in Australia and New Zealand regardless of Thompson being considered one of 14 gamers on coach Vlatko Andonovski’s roster showing on the finals for the primary time.
“In that second I wasn’t actually pondering that the following one I used to be going to be at as a result of I felt so younger, so it felt so far-off,” mentioned Thompson, who performs her membership soccer for Angel Metropolis.
“However being right here now could be loopy to me,” added Thompson, who made her full worldwide debut in opposition to England at Wembley in October final yr.
She got here on for her World Cup debut in opposition to Vietnam with the USA main 2-0 thanks to 2 Sophia Smith objectives.
Moments after Thompson’s introduction, Smith arrange skipper Lindsey Horan to safe a snug victory within the Group E opener.
“It felt wonderful,” Thompson mentioned of her first World Cup expertise.
“Once I was warming up I used to be fairly nervous to play my first World Cup sport however as soon as I used to be on the sideline I used to be overcome with pleasure and happiness.
“I wasn’t feeling another emotion so I couldn’t assist however smile. It was actually cool.”