Heat is on: U.S. hears it from critics

Goal celebrations in rout draw ire on social media

REIMS, France — The goals were one thing, the celebrations another.

The U.S. women’s national team faced criticism following its record-breaking 13-0 rout of Thailand on Tuesday night. The win set a World Cup record for goals and margin of victory. Alex Morgan alone had five goals, matching the most in one game in tournament history.

But there were questions about whether the Americans should have celebrated goals once the game was well in hand. Were the three-time Cup champions being unsportsmanlike, or merely sending a message to the rest of the field?

Morgan was asked afterward about the display of hugs, high-fives, and posturing for the many American fans at Stade AugusteDelaune.

“I think in the moment, every time we score a goal in a World Cup — you’ve dreamed of it. I did since I was a little girl,” she said. “Winning a World Cup and being back there for the third time, we want that fourth star. So tonight we knew that any goal could matter in this group-stage game. And when it comes to celebrations, this was a really good team performance, and it was important for us to celebrate together.”

Those celebrations drew ire on social media, some of it directed at veteran Megan Rapinoe for twirling and turf-sliding after her goal — which made it 9-0. A Cup-record seven U.S. players scored in the win.

Morgan was rebuked for holding up four fingers after her fourth goal, which made it 10-0.

“A lot of this is about building momentum and so as a coach I don’t find it my job to rein my players in,” coach Jill Ellis said. “This is what they’ve dreamed about. This is for them. This is a world championship”

Rapinoe on FOX Sports also addressed the criticism.

“If anyone wants to come at our team for not doing the right thing, not playing the right way, not being a good ambassador, they can come at us. It was an explosion of joy,” she said. “If our crime is joy, then we will take that.”

Rapinoe pointed to the team’s young players who scored their first Cup goals and said they had every right to celebrate, including Samantha Mewis, Rose Lavelle, Mallory Pugh and Lindsey Horan.

In a postgame show of sportsmanship, the U.S. team also consoled some of the emotional Thai players. Morgan offered encouragement to forward Miranda Nild, who like Morgan played college soccer at Cal.