World Cup holders USA have been knocked out of the 2023 competition by Sweden in bizarre circumstances after the winning penalty was initially judged to have not crossed the line.
After 120 minutes of the last-16 tie ended 0-0, Megan Rapinoe, Kelley O’Hara and Sophia Smith all missed their spot-kicks, before Arsenal forward Lina Hurtig’s final effort was eventually adjudged to be the winner.
Hurtig’s penalty had initially been saved by US keeper Alyssa Naeher, but bounced over her before it appeared it had been pulled off the line once more.
Naeher was adamant the ball had not crossed the line and the penalty was initially ruled as a miss, but goal-line technology showed referee Stephanie Frappart it was a goal by the barest of margins, and Sweden’s celebrations could begin.
The world No 1 ranked US started the competition as favourites, yet scraped through Group E in second after draws with Portugal and the Netherlands and a 3-0 win over the 32-ranked Vietnam.
How ‘arrogant’ USA’s World Cup dream unravelled
By Katherine Lucas in Sydney
When Fifa sat down to analyse the tactical trends at this tournament so far, Jill Ellis – leader of its Women’s Technical Advisory Group and a two-time World Cup winner as former USA manager – noticed a pattern. Emerging nations such as South Africa, Colombia and Morocco are causing so many upsets because they are able to sustain their strategy over 90 minutes. That is down to “physical preparation”, Ellis says, and embarrassingly for the holders, that is precisely where they have fallen short.
In the stalemate with Portugal, the press quickly tailed off and a midfield which was once the foundation of greatness was easily shut down by a simplistic 4-4-2, Andi Sullivan pelted with criticism again for her display in the holding role. The US have stuck with a 4-3-3 even as width continues to evade them, Rose Lavelle stifled and little service to Alex Morgan.
Typically, when the US’ dominance is threatened, it is hard to know where hysteria ends and serious analysis starts. One commentator “hoped they lose” and alleged Megan Rapinoe had been “poisoning” the team amid a backlash aimed at a handful of players who have declined to sing the Star-Spangled Banner before matches.
US legend Carli Lloyd’s comments were more instructive. As she watched the celebrations after the Portugal draw ensured qualification to the knockouts, she said simply: “I have never witnessed something like that.”
“There’s a difference between being respectful of the fans and saying hello to your family… But to be dancing, to be smiling,” Lloyd said on Fox Sports.
“I mean, the player of the match was that [goal]post. You were lucky to not be going home right now.”
For Lloyd, this was a “fine line” between “confidence and arrogance”. Since the transfer of power from Ellis to Vlatko Andonovski’s appointment as head coach in 2019, there has been a growing feeling that the current group are riding on the coat tails of previous eras.
Andonovski has maintained that his side’s lack of identity is due to an influx of young players still growing into the international scene. The reality is that has conflicted with the determination to give veterans of the great sides of 2015 and 2019 one last triumph. Julie Ertz is the one of the few who is still deserving of her place. But it is too late for that. The rest of the world has caught up.
Read Katherine’s full analysis here
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