US loses to Sweden on penalty kicks in its earliest Women’s World Cup exit ever

MELBOURNE, Australia — The US performed its greatest recreation of this Ladies’s World Cup and it wasn’t adequate to cease the two-time reigning champions from being eradicated within the spherical of 16.

The People’ bid to win an unprecedented third consecutive title ended Sunday on penalty kicks. Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith and Kelly O’Hara missed with kicks from the penalty spot earlier than Lina Hurtig transformed to clinch the shootout 5-4 on Sunday as Sweden knocked the US out of the World Cup after a scoreless attract regulation and further time.

The People managed the shootout till the trio of misses.

It’s the earliest exit in event historical past for the US, four-time winners of the World Cup.

“I imply, this is sort of a sick joke. For me personally, that is like darkish comedy that I missed a penalty,” Rapinoe stated as she blinked again tears. “That is the stability to the attractive facet of the sport. I feel it may be merciless.”

U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher fruitlessly argued she had saved Hurtig’s try, but it surely was dominated over the road by VAR. The stadium performed Abba’s “Dancing Queen” within the stadium because the Swedes celebrated and the U.S. gamers sobbed.

“We simply misplaced the World Cup by a millimeter. That is powerful,” stated Naeher, who efficiently transformed her personal penalty kick. “I’m pleased with the battle of the workforce. We knew we hadn’t executed our greatest within the group stage and we needed an entire workforce efficiency and the workforce got here out and performed nice.”

She praised Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic, who had 11 saves to disclaim the U.S. a spot within the quarterfinals. The American’s worst earlier end had been third place, three totally different instances.

“We didn’t put something at the back of the online,” sobbed Julie Ertz after the loss. “The penalties had been powerful. It’s simply emotional as a result of it’s most likely my final recreation ever. It’s simply powerful. It clearly sucks. Penalties are the worst.”

The loss was considerably anticipated based mostly on the People’ listless play by means of three group-stage matches. However they performed their greatest recreation of this World Cup towards Sweden, solely to have it determined by penalties.

“I’m pleased with the ladies on the sector,” U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski stated. “I do know we had been criticized for the best way we performed, and for various moments within the group stage. I feel we got here out at the moment and confirmed the grit, the resilience, the battle. The bravery confirmed we did all the things we might to win the sport. And, sadly, soccer will be merciless typically.”

It was the fourth time the People went to further time on the World Cup. All three earlier matches went to penalties, together with the 2011 closing gained by Japan. The U.S. gained on penalties in a 2011 quarterfinal match towards Brazil, and within the 1999 closing on the Rose Bowl towards China.

Sweden knocked the US out of the 2016 Olympics within the quarterfinals on penalties.

Sweden goes on to the quarterfinals to play Japan, which beat Norway 3-1 on Saturday evening.

Sweden has by no means gained a significant international event, both the World Cup or the Olympics. The closest the workforce has come is World Cup runner-up in 2003. They positioned third within the 1999, 2011 and 2019 editions, and gained silver medals within the final two Olympics.

The outcome ended the worldwide profession of Rapinoe, the Golden Boot winner of the 2019 event who’s retiring after the World Cup. She had taken on a smaller position in her closing event and was a substitute in the US’ first and third video games of group play.

She went on in further time towards Sweden and in her closing recreation and couple of minutes of motion, she failed to regulate a ball performed in deep, whiffed on a rebound, hit the facet of the online with a nook kick after which missed the penalty that may have put the US on the verge of victory.

“Simply devastated. It seems like a nasty dream,” captain Alex Morgan stated. “The workforce put all the things on the market tonight. I really feel like we dominated, but it surely doesn’t matter. We’re going residence and it’s the highs and lows of the game of soccer. So, yeah, it doesn’t really feel nice.”

The People struggled by means of group play with simply 4 objectives in three matches. They had been practically eradicated final Tuesday by first-timers Portugal, however eked out a 0-0 draw to fall to second of their group for simply the second time at a World Cup.

The People seemed much better towards Sweden, dominating possession and outshooting the Swedes 5-1 within the first half. Lindsey Horan’s first-half header hit the crossbar and a second-half blast was saved by goalkeeper Musovic, who had six saves in regulation.

Sweden gained all three of their group video games, together with a 5-0 rout of Italy in its closing group match. Coach Peter Gerhardsson made 9 lineup adjustments for the match, resting his starters in anticipation of the US.

“They may come again for certain, they’ve a lot high quality on their workforce,” Sweden midfielder Kosovare Asllani stated of the U.S. workforce. “This defeat is not going to take them down. I count on them to be prepared for the following World Cup.”

It was tense from the opening whistle.

Naeher punched the ball away from a crowded objective on an early Sweden nook kick. Three of the Swedes’ objectives towards Italy got here on set items.

Trinity Rodman’s shot from distance within the 18th minute was simply caught by Musovic, who stopped one other probability by Rodman within the twenty seventh.

Horan’s header off Andi Sullivan’s nook within the thirty fourth hit the crossbar and omitted the objective. Horan was on track within the 53rd minute however Musovic pushed it large. Horan crouched to the sector in frustration whereas the Sweden keeper was swarmed by her teammates.

“I had a extremely good feeling earlier than the sport,” Musovic stated. “As soon as once more, I’m extraordinarily pleased with the women. Many individuals on the market didn’t assume that (win) was doable.”

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Extra AP Ladies’s World Cup protection: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup