The time difference makes watching matches live very challenging. Most matches air here at 1:00 am and 3:00 am.
The USMNT's first match aired at 9:00 pm here (it was 1:00 pm in New Zealand), and it was a very exciting match. It didn't look like it on paper (the U.S. is ranked #1 and Vietnam #32), but Vietnam played with 3 central defenders and 2 sweepers -- creating a 5-player back line -- and the midfielders and forwards played back, creating two 5-player lines. That stymied the U.S. players for most of the match, and the Vietnamese GK played the game of a lifetime. The U.S. took 28 shots, including 7 on target, but "only" won 3-0.
There are a lot of young players on the USWNT roster -- 6 of the 11 starters in that match were playing their first World Cup match -- and the changing of the guard makes it fun to watch these new players.
The real test will come on Wednesday, when they face the Netherlands (whom they beat in the final four years ago). There were times in the Vietnam match where they looked a bit sluggish and unable to penetrate Vietnam's stifling defense.