Morgan writes World Cup history as US destroy woeful Thailand

The Women's World Cup has already had some fascinating matches this tournament, but we were yet to see 2015 champions and this year's favourites, the USA. 

The 3 time winners opened the competition with what looked like a fairly straightforward tie with Thailand. However, nobody could have predicted just how easily the US would tear apart the Thai defence.

3-0 up at half time courtesy of goals from Morgan, Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan, it looked like a routine victory was on the cards.

However, it took just 5 minutes for Sam Mewis to score in the second half, and even less than that for Morgan to add her second on 53 minutes, before Mewis added her second and the US's 5th just seconds later.  Lavelle added her second and suddenly in a 6 minute spell, the reigning Champions lead had been more than doubled.

There was then a brief period of respite, at least on the score sheet, as the US continued to press and leave poor Charoenying under immense pressure. The Thai keeper was by no means having her best day, and on 74 minutes she was picking the ball out of her net for the 8th time on the night,With Morgan scoring her hat-trick with a neat cut back fooling the defender and a good finish by the forward.

Just 5 minutes later and Megan Rapinoe was joining the party as the US neared the double figure mark. It was fitting that it was Morgan who did just that, scoring her 4th goal on 81 minutes with a delightful finish into the top left that Charoenyuing could only dream of saving.

Mallory Pugh then made it 11, before Morgan added her 5th of the night on the 87th minute. The rout was not yet complete though, as 2015 top scorer Carli Lloyd came off the substitutes bench to score her team's 13th of the night.

Morgan scored a record 5 goals and assisted 3 more, taking her goal involvements for this tournament to 8 from one match. The USA certainly sent out a message to their rivals for the competition, after strong starts from France, England, Brazil, Germany and Norway. None of those starts could compare to this though, they registered an astonishing 40 shots on the Thai goal and showed the ruthless streak of a champion already. 

All the talk prior to this game had been about France defender Wendie Renard, after her brace and calm defending against South Korea drew Virgil Van Dijk comparisons, but it will now righfully pass on to Morgan, who is now surely the favourite for the golden boot, with the US doing their favourites tag no harm, as they look to lift the coveted trophy for a 4th time.