USA vs Vietnam Odds
| USA Odds | -50000 |
| Vietnam Odds | +6600 |
| Draw | +3300 |
| Over/Under | 6.5 (-120 / +120) |
| Both Teams to Score (Yes/No) | (+555 / -900) |
| Odds via bet365. Get up-to-the-minute World Cup odds here. | |
The USWNT will kick off their campaign for a third-straight World Cup title against Vietnam in the first group stage game of Group E.
Vietnam are a World Cup newcomer, and these two teams will face off against one another for the first time ever on the world's biggest stage.
Read on for my preview and pick for USA vs Vietnam in the Women’s World Cup.
USA Will Rely on Young Depth
The two-time reigning World Cup champions open up their title defense with a mix of veteran and youth talent. Among them is Trinity Rodman, who became the youngest USWNT player to score a brace in the team’s send-off game against Wales.
But if it’s not Trinity Rodman, it’s Sophia Smith. If not Sophia Smith, it’s Alex Morgan. If not Alex Morgan, it’s Lynn Williams. And so on. This team’s depth at forward is a strength. Meanwhile, Crystal Dunn, Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle anchor the team along the backline and in the midfield.
Against Vietnam, they should be able to finally get a chance to put together their starting lineup – something head coach Vlatko Andonovski hasn’t done in recent friendlies, and at moments it has shown. The team’s cohesiveness is worthy of a pause for concern, although that’s something that can and should be fixed as the tournament goes on.
The USWNT’s biggest problem is injuries. A number of its biggest stars from Mallory Swanson to captain and defensive stalwart Becky Sauerbrunn are out of this year’s World Cup with injuries. They will undeniably be missed, and their absence will force some young stars to step up if this team wants to three-peat.
Vietnam a Big Unknown Heading Into World Cup Debut
Vietnam makes their World Cup debut (male OR female) against one of the best teams in the world. It’ll also mark the first time that these two teams have ever met. A recent 2-1 loss to Germany’s B-team and 2-0 win over New Zealand suggested that Vietnam may be ready to contend with some of the best before a 9-0 shellacking by Spain on July 13. So, it’s unclear what exactly we can expect.
Make no mistake, this team can be organized, cohesive and they have nothing to lose. They’ve got a familiarity with one another that other teams don’t, with many playing domestically in Vietnam. They’ve played nine matches together this year, and while the USWNT have played in eight they also look a lot different than they did in January.
21-year-old Nguyễn Thi Thanh Nhã is a young winger with a bright future, having scored the team’s lone goal against Germany. Vietnam’s young star, alongside some of their more veteran ones like Huynh Nhu, pulled apart Germany’s defense in June. That, combined with this team’s experience together and the fact that Vietnam is an unknown opponent for the USWNT, could work in Vietnam’s favor.
USA vs Vietnam Pick
Make no mistake, the USWNT are a massive favorite in this one. But, if they really want to make a statement, they’ll come out scoring early and often, similarly to their opening 13-0 win against Thailand in 2019.
Vietnam have some talent that could keep up with the USWNT, but that’s entirely dependent upon what the USWNT will allow. And while the USWNT have suffered injuries, so too have other contenders. This won’t be the double-digit blowout of Thailand we saw four years ago, but the USWNT should prevail as it works to shake off some initial jitters.
I back the United States to win 4-0.
The Pick: USA 4 – Vietnam 0 (Under 6.5, -112 via FanDuel)
