New teams bring energizing unpredictability to Women's World Cup

One of the things I am interested in seeing at this Women's World Cup are the new teams and how they play. 

There are eight teams making their tournament debut, helped by the event's expansion from 24 to 32 teams. These eight new teams — Philippines, Morocco, Panama, Vietnam, Haiti, Ireland, Zambia and Portugal — are certainly bringing excitement to the tournament.

Some, like Ireland, Portugal and Panama, have been to Men's World Cups. Haiti qualified once in 1974, and Morocco first qualified in 2022 and stole many hearts with their electric performance in Qatar just six months ago. For Vietnam and the Philippines, it is the country's first appearance at any World Cup, men's or women's.

So while it's been interesting to see these new teams qualify, it might not be too bold to suggest that although women's soccer is more established in Canada, there are perhaps some things we can learn from other countries. 

WATCH: Was Sinclair right player to take penalty kick?

Not all maiden experiences are good ones. I watched the U.S. completely destroy Thailand, 13-0, in France during the 2019 Women's World Cup in a manner that felt almost demoralizing.

There are a few key moments that stood out to me this first week. 

A few days ago, the U.S. beat Vietnam, 3-0, but not without a standout performance from Vietnam goalkeeper Trần Thị Kim Thanh. Thanh stopped Alex Morgan's penalty kick with a tenacity that no one expected but delighted many. 

I know player of the match will very likely go to Sophia Smith but can we break the rule once and give an extra one to Vietnam's keeper Trần Thị Kim Thanh

While the Americans dominated possession at 59 per cent, it is noteworthy that the score was not higher considering generational talent