USWNT vs Vietnam Odds: Americans Begin Their World Cup Campaign

• The USWNT are the favorites to win Women’s World Cup 2023 in Oceania 
• Vietnam will make their World Cup debut when they face the holders on Friday
• The USA should come out on top without breaking sweat in this one

USWNT vs Vietnam Odds

The odds for USWNT vs Vietnam are from the DraftKings sportsbook, which is giving out $200 in bonus bets after punters bet $5.

USWNT vs Vietnam Pick

This could be a tough opening encounter for the Asian debutants.

• Back the USWNT to beat Vietnam with a -6.5 handicap.  

USA Have Eyes on the Prize as Women’s World Cup Begins

The Women’s World Cup 2023 gets under way on Thursday and the best online sportsbooks have the USWNT down as favorites. That is not a surprise. The USA are the reigning champions and the most successful side in the history of the tournament.

Of the nine editions of the Women’s World Cup held so far, the Stars and Stripes have triumphed on four occasions. You have to go all the way back to 2007 to find the last time the USA did not reach the final of this competition.

In 2023 they are seeking a third consecutive triumph, which has never been done before. The USA have one of the strongest squads in the world. The country continues to produce talented players and Vlatko Andonovski knows the group well, having been in charge since 2019.

However, there are a few doubts surrounding the holders this time. The USA were champions in 2015 and 2019, but the majority of their current roster did not participate in either of those triumphs. 

Injuries have also bitten. Becky Sauerbrunn, the team captain, is out with a foot problem. Sam Mewis is a long-term absentee, while Catarina Macario, Mallory Swanson and Christian Press are also absent. This is not a full-strength American squad by any means.

Moreover, the USA are now the team that everyone wants to get the better of. In truth, that has been the case for some time - but there is now a sense that this side is beatable. And over in Europe, the likes of France, Germany, Spain and England look strong.

Still, no one should go overboard in dismissing the USA’s chances. The defending champions deserve to be favorites. Do not be surprised if the tournament ends with the Americans victorious once more.

Vietnam Among Teams to Benefit From Tournament’s Expansion

This will be the first Women’s World Cup to feature 32 teams. The first ever edition back in 1991 contained only 12 sides, before the tournament expanded to 16 in 1999 and 24 in 2015. 

The latest enlargement has come soon on the back of the last one. Finding the right balance between concentrated quality and more equitable distribution is not always easy when it comes to organizing international tournaments. But a 32-team format certainly works better mathematically.

Vietnam are among the beneficiaries of the decision to add eight more spots. This Women’s World Cup will feature eight debutants: the Vietnamese, plus Haiti, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, and Zambia.

The USA’s upcoming opponents took just one point from a possible nine in the first stage of the Asian qualification process. But they went on to win a three-team play-off tournament against Taipei and Thailand to book a spot in Australia and New Zealand.

Vietnam have a reputation for being resolute and well organized. They only lost 2-1 to Germany in a recent warm-up friendly, for example.

However, Vietnam - who are ranked 32nd in the world - will struggle to get out of Group E. Not only do they have to face the USWNT on matchday one, they will later lock horns with Portugal and the Netherlands. 

That makes for a very tricky group. The Vietnamese squad is tough to judge: only one of their players, the Portugal-based captain Huynh Nhu, plies her trade overseas.

The fear is that Vietnam will lack the top-tier quality to be able to compete with the other teams in their group. But simply qualifying for the tournament was an achievement and the next couple of weeks will be a fantastic learning experience for this team.

USWNT Should Prove Far Too Strong for Vietnam in Opener

As we discussed above, there are a few question marks around the USWNT heading into the Women’s World Cup 2023. However, this meeting with Vietnam will cause the holders very few problems.

Four years ago, the USA opened their campaign with a 13-0 evisceration of Thailand. The Stars and Stripes showed no mercy (for which they were criticized in some quarters) as they administered a memorable demolition in France.

Another 13-0 victory is improbable this time around, but this looks set to be a one-sided encounter. The USA are such strong favorites that it is hard to find value in the market, but the best choice in our eyes is backing a win by seven goals or more.

Remember, Vietnam lost 3-0 to both Japan and South Korea in qualifying and the USWNT are widely regarded as a superior side to that pair. And with doubts swirling around their prospects this summer, the four-time world champions will be keen to make a statement of intent.

This is likely to be a difficult 90 minutes for Vietnam, who could be about to suffer a chastening experience. The USA can begin their World Cup with a bang.

How to Watch USWNT vs Vietnam

• Teams: USWNT vs Vietnam
• Location: Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand.
• Date and Time: Jul. 21, 2023, 9.00 p.m. ET 
• How to Watch: Fox, fuboTV