USWNT Crashes Out Of World Cup With Their Earliest Exit Ever, Losing 5-4 To Sweden In PKs

 

    The brutal nature of soccer was on full display in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup today in Melbourne, Australia as the U.S. women lost 5-4 in penalty kicks-the longest shootout in Women's World Cup history-to Sweden in the Round of 16. There will be no threepeat, not even close as the Americans got eliminated earlier than ever before (they had only lost in semifinals or finals at previous World Cups). Ironically, it was by far the best performance of the USWNT in this tournament but their continued lack of goal-scoring ultimately got them all a plane ticket home far sooner than any of them could have expected going into this. Sweden will meet Japan on Friday in the quarterfinals (3 am, FOX). 

    In four matches at the 2023 World Cup, the USWNT only scored four total goals and even that is misleading since three of them came in their opener vs. overmatched Vietnam. Since then, they got one vs. Netherlands in a 1-1 draw, none vs. Portugal in a 0-0 tie and now this rough exit to a quality team that truthfully played far from their best game today but improved to 2-4-1 all-time vs. their rivals from America in the World Cup. Without their suspended midfielder (two yellow cards) Rose Lavelle, the U.S. was much more confident from the start and held 58% possession of the ball for the entire match. They also peppered Sweden with far more shots (22-9) including 10 more on net (11-1). The Americans had three times as many corner kicks as the Swedes (9-3) which furthers the point that they should have scored at least one goal if not two or three. 

    Sweden's goalkeeper Zecira Musovic had the game of her life. She was brilliant, making some incredible stops on U.S. midfielder Lindsey Horan (who also saw her header hit the crossbar) along with forwards Alex Morgan and Lynn Williams. The more time that went by with no goals coming for the USWNT, you had the feeling that something like this would happen to them. A game of this magnitude getting decided by penalty kicks is always a cruel way to end things but they also had 120+ minutes to score a single goal and they could not do it. 

    Even in penalty kicks, the U.S. had multiple chances to end it as they led 3-2 (after goals by midfielders Andi Sullivan, Horan and BC's Kristie Mewis in her World Cup debut!) but missed their last two attempts (by forward Megan Rapinoe in her final USWNT match and forward Sophia Smith). Sweden closed strong by converting on their last three penalty kicks while Naeher made the sixth kick for the U.S. but defender Kelley O'Hara (who came in the final minute of extra time) hit the post in her likely World Cup finale. The winning Swedish kick was a bizarre one by Lina Hurtig as Naeher initially saved it but the ball went over the line by mere millimeters before Alyssa knocked away the rebound. Nobody knew what happened until the ref said that the game was over. 

    This is a terrible result, no doubt about that but all we can hope as USWNT fans as that the federation not to mention the players and (new) coaches can learn and grow from it. True, the rest of the universe is catching up to the mighty Americans while our team has gotten static under Vlatko Andonovski who somehow was in charge for another awful finish (fourth at the last Olympics). He should be gone tomorrow along with all of his useless assistant coaches but the USWNT has more than enough talent to overcome him or any other bad coaching. Our youth programs need to be built up again and hopefully, this is a great motivator to the best young players that will form the foundation of future USWNT rosters. It is a rough day for the USWNT but if you have been paying attention the last few years and especially during this World Cup, it is not a complete shock. Their margin for error was so much smaller than in years past and they did not deserve to win another World Cup title, that is the harsh reality. 

Tweet

Follow @RichSlate

The USWNT Was Inches Away From Disaster, Survive 0-0 Vs. Portugal To Advance To Rd. Of 16

 

    The USWNT (1-2-0) is incredibly lucky to still be alive in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and not taking that long flight home as they staggered to a 0-0 tie with Portugal (1-1-1) this evening in their Group E finale at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. Thanks to the Netherlands' 7-0 demolition of Vietnam, the Dutch deservedly find themselves in first place in Group E while the U.S. finished second. It was the first time that the Americans were shut out in a World Cup group match since 2015 (a 0-0 tie with Sweden). Ironically, it is not official yet but they will likely face their Swedish rivals in the round of 16 on Sunday morning (4 am, Fox).

    Where to begin with this latest performance that simply was not good enough for a team that is trying to make history by winning a third straight World Cup? USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski made two changes to his starting 11 with Lynn Williams in for Trinity Rodman at right forward and Rose Lavelle in for Savannah DeMelo at right midfield. After a decent start to the game, the U.S. had another mostly lifeless first half-just like in their previous outing vs. Netherlands (a 1-1 draw). Lavelle also picked up a yellow card in the 39th minute which was on a questionable call but even more troublesome was the fact that she will now miss the next match since she earned a yellow card against Netherlands as well. 

    For a team playing in its first ever Women's World Cup, Portugal truthfully deserved a better fate since they had easily the best scoring chance of the match. Substitute forward Ana Capeta came on in the 90th minute and in the next minute, she was sprung loose with enough space to rocket a low shot off the post. U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher did not register a save vs. the Portuguese and earlier she had fumbled a cross but ultimately smothered it. In the dying moments, she completely whiffed on a punch attempt but the Americans were able to withstand that nervy sequence too. 

    The USWNT finished with a pedestrian (by their lofty standards) four goals scored and one goal allowed in the three Group E matches. Scoring is a real issue since they have only found the back of the net once following the routine 3-0 opening victory vs. first timers from Vietnam. Forward Alex Morgan has yet to score a goal in Australia/New Zealand and after the match, the first voice that we saw talking to the entire team on the field was not Andonovski, another coach or the captains-Lindsey Horan and Morgan-but rather veteran defender Kelley O'Hara. Vlatko seriously looked on the verge of tears at the final whistle which should not be surprising at all because he was that close to losing the best job that he will ever get in his entire career. 

    The U.S. obviously lacks the explosive offense that we have been used to in the past. Forward Sophia Smith-who scored two goals and added an assist in her World Cup debut vs. Vietnam-has been MIA in the last two matches. She was subbed out for Megan Rapinoe early in the second half and the other promising young American forward-Trinity Rodman-who started the first two matches, came on very late on this one. It will be a tough call as to who starts at forward with Morgan the next time out. Williams played well enough to make another start so the question for Andonovski is does he trust Smith or Rodman more? Regardless of who he picks, the other one should play more than a few minutes. There is no obvious replacement for Lavelle in the starting lineup at midfield and needless to say, nobody on the U.S. bench has her abundance of skill and proven track record. You want to believe that the USWNT has a much better showing in their back pocket but with the way that they have stumbled through most of their three matches at this World Cup, it is hard to believe in them with our usual unquestioned trust

Tweet

Follow @RichSlate