The United States women's national team got its 2019 World Cup run started Tuesday in Reims, France with a bang. The defending champs were expected to win with ease over Thailand in their tournament opener, but most people didn't think the scoreboard would look quite this lopsided.
The U.S. won 13-0. Yes, thirteen -- a baker's dozen, two touchdowns with one botched extra point -- on the sport's biggest international stage. Seven different players (Alex Morgan, Rose Lavelle, Lindsey Horan, Sam Mewis, Megan Rapinoe, Mallory Pugh and Carli Lloyd) scored a goal and Morgan, the team's star striker, found the back of the net five times. Needless to say, the Americans set a handful of team and individual records during their complete destruction of Thailand.
Well, THAT was fun. 👀
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 11, 2019
Sit back, relax and watch the @USWNT's record-breaking #FIFAWWC performance in our 90 in 90 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/0LdFIaKVHs
Here are the World Cup records set by the team during its first 90 minutes at the 2019 tournament:
Most goals by a team in one game: 13
This record previously belonged to Germany, which blew out Argentina, 11-0, in 2007. It didn't look like the U.S. would threaten this record with just a 3-0 lead at halftime, but the second half was a nonstop onslaught in the final third.
Largest margin of victory: 13 goals
Thailand had two shots in the game. It was not a nail-biter.
Most goals by a player in one game: Alex Morgan, 5*
Morgan's five goals matched the mark set by fellow American Michelle Akers in 1991, who scored five times against Chinese Taipei.
"Every goal matters in this tournament," Morgan told Fox Sports after the final whistle. That was a mindset she (and her teammates) clearly had. Morgan refused to settle for a hat trick and tied this record by netting her final two goals in the 81st and 87th minutes. Here's her record-tying goal:
ALEX MORGAN FOR THE RECORD! 😱😱@alexmorgan13's 5th ties Michelle Akers' single-game #FIFAWWC record ... and makes it 12-0 USA! pic.twitter.com/52Z0ePG6vI
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 11, 2019
Most goals in one half: 10
As previously mentioned, the U.S. had a comfy but reasonable three-goal advantage after 45 minutes. In the second half the team took a turn and sped off down Blowout Avenue. The U.S. notched 10 goals in the second half, and four of those came in the first 11 minutes. Of all the records Jill Ellis' squad set, this one might be the toughest to break.
Highest-scoring game: 13 goals
Before Tuesday, there had never been more than 11 goals in a Women's World Cup match -- that's counting goals from both teams. Switzerland beat Ecuador 10-1 in 2015 and there was Germany's 11-0 win over Argentina in 2007. But now the United States, and, in a way, Thailand, have the record for highest-scoring game in Women's World Cup history. The mark seems like it could stand for a while.
If Tuesday is any indication, the United States appears to be well on its way to a second straight World Cup title and the team could very well set more tournament records along the way. (Akers holds the individual record with 10 goals in the competition and the most goals by a team in the tournament is 25, for what it's worth). You can watch the rest of the Americans' run and every other World Cup game this summer on fuboTV (try for free).