United States Women’s National Team kicks ass, takes names in World Cup opener

If you stepped out of the room for even two minutes you were liable to miss a goal on Tuesday afternoon. The U.S. Women’s National Team walloped Thailand 13-0, setting a Women’s World Cup record for goals scored in a game. This was the opening game for both teams in the tournament and will certainly set the Americans up for success in Group F, which also features Sweden and Chile.

Star forward, and woman of the match, Alex Morgan scored as many goals as you have fingers (not you, Antonio Alfonseca) and added two assists while former Wisconsin Badgers star Rose Lavelle added a brace before being subbed off for Carli Lloyd, who scored a goal herself. Morgan tied a record, which she shares with American legend Michelle Akers, for most goals scored in a game and Lloyd tied a record by scoring in her fifth straight World Cup game.

Lavelle scored two goals in her first ever World Cup game, which brings her international total to nine goals in 28 appearances. Lavelle, from Cincinnati, Ohio, played in 84 games for the Badgers over her career and scored 22 goals. She was a first-team All-America performer during her junior year, the first time a Badger had done that since 1991, a second team All-American during her sophomore and senior year, an All-B1G performer all four years she was in school (2013-2016), B1G Midfielder of the Year as a junior and senior and the B1G Freshman of the Year in 2013.

She turned pro after she exhausted her college eligibility and was the first overall pick by the Boston Breakers in the 2017 NWSL Draft. Lavelle made her first appearance for the national team on March 3rd, 2017 during the SheBelieves Cup against England. She scored her first USWNT goal three matches later in a friendly against Russia and has been a dynamic, young, player on the rise ever since.

The Americans will be back in action on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. CT on FOX to battle Chile, who lost to Sweden 2-0 in their first game.