Morgan’s five goals lead US women to record rout

REIMS, France — Thailand was never a real threat to the U.S. national team. Even so, the threetime Women’s World Cup

U.S. 13, Thailand 0

champions had no desire to go easy on a lesser opponent in their opening game.

Goals matter in the group stage.

And statements matter in soccer’s biggest tournament.

“Obviously we have the utmost respect for everyone we play, but it’s the World Cup,” captain Megan Rapinoe said.

Alex Morgan tied the tournament record with five goals and the United States opened with a historic 13-0 rout of Thailand on Tuesday night. Samantha Mewis and Rose Lavelle each added two

goals for the United States, which broke the record for goals and margin of victory in a World Cup game.

Rapinoe, Lindsey Horan, Mallory Pugh and Carli Lloyd also scored. The previous record margin was Germany’s 11-0 victory over Argentina in 2007.

Morgan tied Michelle Akers’ record for World Cup goals, set in the quarterfinals against Taiwan in 1991. The team’s seven different scorers also set a tournament record.

Lloyd, 36, became the oldest American woman to score at a World Cup and joined Germany’s Birgit Prinz as the only players to score in five straight World Cup games.

The United States faced criticism over its relentless attack. The Americans led 3-0 at the break and then broke the game open in the second half, with the players celebrating goal after goal.

The Americans meant no disrespect, Morgan said. They simply wanted to position themselves for a run at a second consecutive title.

“We really just came into the game really wanting to showcase ourselves,” Morgan said. “Every goal matters in this tournament, and that’s what we were working on.”

Asked about the lopsided score, U.S. coach Jill Ellis wondered if a 10-0 victory in a men’s World Cup would elicit the same questions.

“This is a world championship, so every team here has been fantastic to get to this point,” she said. “And I think that to be respectful to opponents is to play hard against opponents, and as Alex said, it’s a tournament where goal differential is important.”

The two teams were the last to kick off in the group stage for the monthlong tournament.

Ranked No. 1 in the world, the Americans had dropped only one game in their previous 38, to France in Le Havre in January. The team was 7-1-2 overall this year, with six straight wins going into the World Cup.

Thailand, ranked No. 34 in the world, was clearly outmatched even though the team has shown progress on the world stage. Making its World Cup debut in 2015 four years ago, Thailand finished third in its group and earned its first win, a 3-2 victory over Ivory Coast.

At the final whistle, Lloyd and Christen Press consoled Thailand goalkeeper Sukanya Chor Charoenying. Morgan put her arm around Thailand forward Miranda Nild, who was wiping away tears. Nild and Morgan both played college soccer for California.

“They were disappointed, of course; they intended to make an impression in this first match and they were disappointed,” coach Nuengrutai Srathongvian said through a translator. “Yes, they are all athletes and they will be resilient. We’ve got two more games to play, and we need to bounce back.”

Up next for the U.S. is World Cup newcomer Chile on Sunday in Paris.