The July 22 game between Vietnam and the US during the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in New Zealand drew 6.26 million viewers, making it the most-watched football telecast in the US since last year’s men’s World Cup final, VNA citied Fox Sports.

It said that the game, the first of the US team at World Cup 2023, averaged 5.26 million viewers on FOX, making it the second-most watched group stage telecast since FOX started covering it in 2015.

A save by Vietnamese goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh in the match against the US on July 22. Photo: VNA

The largest Women’s World Cup group stage broadcast on FOX remains the 2019 US-Chile match, which averaged 5.33 million.

FOX and Nielsen said it is a 99% increase over the first US group stage match four years ago in France against Thailand.

The Vietnamese team’s brave performance won the hearts of Vietnamese fans everywhere, despite losing 0-3 to the reigning world champions the US in their first group match in Auckland, New Zealand.

Two goals scored by Sophia Smith in the first half and another by captain Lindsey Horan in the second half sealed the US’s victory.

Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung (7) of Vietnam and Trinity Rodman (20) of the US vie for the ball. Photo: AFP/VNA

However, as coach Mai Duc Chung said before the match, "It's not about the result, but the way we play, the mentality against an opponent at this magnitude," and the Golden Star Women Warriors’ brave performance won the hearts of Vietnamese fans everywhere.

Tran Thi Kim Thanh, Vietnam's goalkeeper, was perhaps the embodiment of that spirit. The 1.65m keeper saved a penalty from Alex Morgan, one of the greats of the women's game.

FIFA also praised Thanh’s performance. “Tran Thi Kim Thanh take a bow. The Vietnamese keeper has had a sensational first half and now saves an Alex Morgan penalty on the stroke of half-time!” the world football governing body wrote on its Twitter.

Many changes were made to the starting line-up by Chung after Vietnam's 0-9 loss to Spain on July 14. Duong Thi Van, nicknamed "Van Kanté" for her immense coverage and control of midfield, was benched after a head collision with teammate Pham Hai Yen in training.

Fans even came all the way from Hai Phong to Auckland to support the women in red. At home, the New Zealand and Australian Embassies hosted a "Breakfast Watch Party" for fans to watch the game in Hanoi.

The game is broadcast live at Times Square in New York, the US. Photo: VNA

"We kept our promises to the fans," said Coach Chung after the match. "I am happy because of the team's mentality and how we stuck to our game plan today."

“We have not played at World Cup before. But now, the whole world heard Vietnam’s national anthem. That is the honor and pride,” he said.

"Every minute of that game was fun and the crowd was amazing," said Player of the Game Sophia Smith, who scored a brace on her debut.

"We could have scored more goals, but it's the World Cup, and not everything is perfect," Smith added.

The US’s coach Vlatko Andonovski also commended the Vietnamese team and the tactics of coach Mai Duc Chung, saying that Vietnam had played very well and caused a lot of difficulties for the US squad.

Vietnam will have five days to recover before facing Portugal on July 27. The US, on the other hand, will play against Holland next in a rematch of the 2019 Women's World Cup Final.

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