The U.S. women’s World Cup reign is over but it shouldn’t be. They handed this win to Sweden | Opinion
Doubted, now defeated. And the reign has ended in pain.
The mighty United States women’s soccer team fell Sunday to Sweden in the World Cup, 5-4 on penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw through regulation and extra time in Melbourne, Australia.
The U.S. was trying to be the first team -- women or men -- to win three straight World Cups. Instead the Americans are out in the round of 16 -- easily the fastest exit ever for the No. 1 team in the FIFA World Ranking. The States had won four of the first eight WWCs and reached the semifinals in the other four.
The loss ended the States’ 20-match World Cup winning streak of 15 victories and five draws.
Compounding that, Sunday’s early ouster happened in the cruelest, most agonizing way possible.
After the U.S. dominated in regulation and extra time.
After the Americans led in penalty kicks and twice could have clinched the win and advanced but unimaginably missed consecutive PKs.
And after Sweden’s winning shot in the seventh round of penalty kicks was blocked by goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher before a video review indicated the deflected ball had crossed the goalline.
“It didn’t go in!” Naeher kept shouting to her bench.
But it had. The ball popped in the air and was over the line by the width of the ball.
Veteran Megan Rapinoe had had a chance to deliver a 4-2 PK victory for the U.S. but sailed the ball over the crossbar. After Sweden’s shot was then saved by Naeher, young Sophia Smith also had a hero’s chance -- but also missed over the crossbar.
Losing a World Cup elimination game because you missed two penalty kicks is unfathomable, inexcusable. It’s like being eliminated from the National Spelling Bee because you missed on the word “cat.”
Many on the U.S. team were crying on the field after the loss that ended its run and sent No. 3-ranked Sweden on to the quarterfinals to face Japan this coming Friday.
For the retiring Rapinoe, 38, a substitute in the match, her final World Cup had ended miserably by her own foot.
She was consoled by teammates on the field afterward as the Swedes celebrated. Rapinoe appeared to be telling her teammates, “I’m so sorry,” before lifting her shirt to briefly cover her mouth and nose.
With Sunday’s brutal ending the American women’s dynasty in the sport has ended, or at least been put on pause.
The team had raised doubts and not impressed in narrowly advancing out of Group E with one victory followed by two straight draws, and coming inches from stunning elimination, saved by a right post.
The agony was that the team looked much better in its first elimination game than it had in group play.
The Americans took 22 shots with 11 on goal in regulation and extra time versus Sweden’s nine total and one on goal. Almost all of the big scoring chance belonged to the States, but all for naught.
Lindsey Horan’s 53rd-minute shot took a diving save to send wide. In the 63rd Smith was denied in a 1-on-1 run at the goalie. In the dramatic 89th minute an Alex Morgan header took a diving save to deny. In the 102nd minute Lynn Williams could not finish a glaring
The U.S. also had the better of play in an encouraging first 45 minutes, but again without reward. Trinity Rodman had a pair of on-target blasts including one in the 26th minute that demanded an acrobatic block by the Swedish goalkeeper. A U.S. corner kick in the 33rd minute saw a Horan header glance off and over the crossbar.
Defender Julie Ertz was in tears afterward and intimated that may also have been her World Cup farewell.
“We didn’t put anything in the back of the net,” she said. “The penalties was tough as well. It’s just emotional because it’s probably my last game ever. It’s just tough. It’s an emotional time. It obviously sucks. Penalties are the worst.”
The future of U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski may now be in jeopardy.
“I am proud of the women on the field,” he said. “I know we were criticized for the way we played, and for different moments in the group stage. I think we came out today and showed the grit, the resilience, the fight. The bravery showed we did everything we could to win the game. And, unfortunately, soccer can be cruel sometimes.”
This was these international rivals’ seventh all-time meeting in a World Cup (the U.S. was 4-1-1 going in), but first in the knockout round. The Americans had beaten the Swedes 2-0 in the previous WC in 2019.
There will be time to look back and give U.S. women’s soccer the credit it has earned during its dynastic run. And Sunday does not topple this powerhouse program as much it gives it the incentive and fire to regroup and try to resume its international dominance.
For now, though, the way the Americans lost is too close, and the hurt too deep.
They had this.
They should be celebrating right now (or at least exhaling) and looking ahead to Japan.
Instead they cannot help but know this was a match they should have won but let slip away.
To say they blew it would be cruel. To say they choked would be worse. To call it an embarrassment might be mean.
But the simple reality is its own indictment.
The U.S. had almost all of the major scoring chances in regulation and extra time but could not finish any. Then two straight opportunities to win on penalty kicks and two straight shots sailing over the bar -- almost impossible. Almost unheard of.
If there is shame in the loss it is in the shock over the way it unfolded.
Sweden did not end the United States epic run either convincingly or with authority, but rather accepted the gift handed it.
The shame of Sunday is not that the Americans’ reign ended ... but that it should still be going on.
This story was originally published August 6, 2023 at 8:55 AM.
