PARIS: The United States recorded the biggest ever victory in the Women’s World Cup as they crushed Thailand 13-0.

The 2015 winners were 3-0 up at half-time, scored four times in 10 minutes in the second half and then added six more goals in the last 16 minutes.

Alex Morgan scored five times for the United States with two goals apiece for Rose Lavelle and Samantha Mewis.

Lindsey Horan, Megan Rapinoe, Mallory Pugh and Carli Lloyd also scored to beat Germany’s 11-0 win over Argentina.

The United States’ previous biggest win in the tournament was a 7-0 success over Chinese Taipei in 1991, while Germany’s thrashing of Argentina came in 2007.

The defending champions have lost only one international game since July 2017 and have won their past seven in a row, scoring 36 goals in the process, and have not conceded in any of their past five matches.

They have featured in all eight World Cups, while Thailand have qualified for the finals for only the second time, having been eliminated in the group stage in 2015.

Earlier on Tuesday, Sweden eventually beat a resilient Chile side 2-0 in the other match in Group F, which the USA fully expect to top.

Thailand, ranked 34th in the world, lost 9-0 in their previous meeting with the USA in a friendly in 2016, and the holders will face far, far tougher tests later in this tournament.

Next the US face Chile in Paris on June 16, three hours after Thailand meet Sweden. Jill Ellis’ side will then be up against Sweden in Le Havre in 20 June, in a game that is likely to decide which side tops the group.

The top two teams in each of the six groups will qualify automatically for the last 16, along with the four best third-placed sides.

##############