ALEX MORGAN INSISTED every goal matters for the United States following their merciless 13-0 humiliation of Thailand at the Women’s World Cup.
Morgan scored a remarkable five goals as USA opened their title defence with a record-breaking victory in Reims on Tuesday.
USA secured the largest margin of victory at a World Cup, while five-star Morgan tied the women’s record for goals scored in a match.
The defending champions, however, were criticised for their relentless pursuit of goals amid the ongoing celebrations.
Morgan defended USA as head coach Jill Ellis and her side bid to defend the trophy they won in 2015.
“I think in the moment, every time we score a goal in the World Cup it’s, you’ve dreamt of it since you were a little girl, winning a World Cup and being back here for a third time, we want that fourth star,” Morgan told reporters.
We knew that every goal could matter. In this group stage game and when it comes to celebrations, this was a really good team performance tonight and I think it was important for us to celebrate with each other.
Morgan elaborated on the growth of the game and explained that USA’s win was important for making a case for Fifa to add more funding for certain federations to make the World Cup more competitive.
“With the scoreline tonight, we have to look at the group stage as every goal counts and it was important for us to continue to go,” Morgan said.
“But for these 24 teams, it’s a great opportunity for women to showcase what they’ve worked their entire life for and not every federation gives the same financial effort to their women’s side and that’s unfortunate.”
Ellis added: “If this is 10-nil in a men’s World Cup, are we getting the same questions to be quite honest? I think a World Cup, it is about competing. It is about peaking. It is about priming your players ready for the next game.”
United States captain Megan Rapinoe also said that hammering Thailand 13-0 was all “part of growing the game” after a win so lop-sided there were suggestions they should have eased up to save the Thais from embarrassment.
We have the utmost respect for everyone we play but it’s the World Cup and that’s part of it. It’s part of growing the game. They’ll improve from here,” the title holders’ ninth goalscorer on the night said.
“There are some teams here that, since the last World Cup, have only played a handful of games, or only the qualifiers. It’s embarrassing for the federations, and for Fifa as well,” she added as she reflected on the gulf between the world’s top sides and the rest.
USA will have a few days off before facing Chile in Group F on Sunday.
- with reporting from AFP
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Was agreeing with Wambach’s tweets completely before she decided she had to bring men into the argument. People questioned Spain when they put 10 past Tahiti in the Confederations cup. There was no need for her to attempt to draw men into a discussion on a female game.
@James O’ Connor: spot on, was going to say the same thing. How has this become a sexism issue for her?
Did they really celebrate all those double digit goals? I don’t watch it but that’s bad form. When you play at under age level you don’t do that.
@Gareth Keenan: But they are not playing underage level? Its the world cup
@Christopher: indeed so you’d expect a higher level of dignity and respect
@Gareth Keenan: get over it gareth. You really have nothing else to be worrying about?
@Johnny Ryan: I’m not worried about it nor offended by it in the slightest. This is a comments section so I made a comment you clown. I think it was bad form.
@Gareth Keenan: go away look at the state of you
@Johnny Ryan: what a clever retort
While I agree its a record for any world cup so not being gender specific are we now going to apply this to all sports? Records for amount of goals in game, fastest 100m, marathon, fasted serve etc. Records are there to be broken but it should be gender specific. If not then all Olympic records should be non gender records thereby ruling out most female records. You can’t say one rule for one sport etc. It’s all about equality and fairness these days!!!
Says more about the qualification process than anything. Beleive Thailand have lost something like 9 of their last 10 games. Would suggest 5 spots for Asian teams (including Australia) is probably too many.
As for celebrating the 12th goal etc, probably more of an American thing than a womens thing. Plenty of lopsided games in both sports but once you get past a few goals the celebration is usually a few handshakes.
Kazoocka, wouldn’t agree it’s an American thing. In US secondary school girls soccer the practice of once it goes to 8-0 teams will try not humiliate the opposition, will even take time off the clock and, because it is rolling subs, bring on all their subs etc. NO BODY WINS WITH SUCH A SCORE! The better team don’t improve, the weaker team are humiliated, and it may impact the draw on future players taking up the game.
Ridiculous looking down you nose. A lot of fans spent a lot of money to be there and have every right to celebrate. A lot of players put everything into getting there and also have every right to celebrate scoring a world cup goal. All the touchy feely gobdaws who don’t want to upset anyone are also the ones who want to give out participation trophies. Put your energy into something that matters