The women’s U.S. soccer team has breezed through the first couple rounds of the 2019 Women’s World Cup. Not without a little controversy, however.

In our ladies’ first game against Thailand, the U.S. won 13-0.

“Wow!” a normal spectator might say. “Those women sure put a whoopin’ on them! Congratulations to the U.S. on a big first round win!”

The more vocal pundits weren’t nearly as thrilled.

Our women came under a lot of fire for running up the score against a weaker team, or so the story goes. Not only that, but the team was celebrating every single one of its goals with style. Dances, hugs, cheers, gratuitous celebrations, you name it.

I can understand some of the complaints. I would hate to be on the Thailand team, feeling hopelessly outmatched while my opponent netted ball after ball. I’ve been in those situations before in soccer games. Most people have, in any sport.

You know the best way to get the other team to stop celebrating? Stop them from scoring. Easier said than done, obviously. Our women, the defending World Cup champs, are hell on the pitch. If they want to celebrate their 11th, 12th and 13th goals, have at it. They weren’t running to Thailand’s sideline and doing it in their faces, so I wouldn’t call it unsportsmanlike at all.

The ones angriest about the ordeal are the talking heads. Maybe they’re scared their country’s team will have to play the U.S. down the line. I don’t blame them.

Thursday, the U.S. beat Sweden 2-0. It wasn’t nearly as dramatic a game as the first one, but now our women’s team finds themselves atop the group and four more victories away from a repeat world championship.

If they get another opportunity, I hope they can score 13 goals, or more. I want our country to make a statement in everything it does, especially competitive sports! The women’s World Cup team seems to agree.