Football Five misses
Penalty shootout video drama – Sweden knocks out World Cup favorites USA
Status: 06.08.2023 | Reading time: 2 minutes
Sweden’s women’s footballers celebrate their surprise win over USA after a dramatic penalty shoot-out win
Quelle: Getty Images/Robert Cianflone
After 120 minutes, Sweden and the USA fight for the World Cup quarter-finals on penalties. Missed shot follows missed shot, the winning goal is a millimeter decision. It’s a bitter farewell for US superstar Megan Rapinoe.
Defending champions USA were eliminated surprisingly early and dramatically from the women’s World Cup. The US selection lost 4:5 (0:0, 0:0) against Sweden on penalties despite a clear superiority in Melbourne.
US coach Vlatko Andonovski reacted disappointed to the early exit. “I’m proud of the players,” said the 46-year-old. “I think we showed how strong we are. We did everything to win the game. Unfortunately, football can sometimes be cruel.” Even before the game, Andonovski was criticized after rather weak performances in the group phase. The USA Today portal wrote that the USA’s successful streak in women’s football ended “just as embarrassingly as quickly”. It was an “epic failure”.
In front of 27,706 spectators in Melbourne, the four-time world champion was clearly superior, but was unable to take advantage of the multitude of chances. In the decision of the point, star player Megan Rapinoe, for whom it was the last tournament in the national team, awarded Sophia Smith and Kelley O’Hara. The decisive Swedish goal by Lina Hurtig was still being checked, the ball was only just behind the line. The Americans had never finished worse than third at a World Cup. Sweden now meets Japan.
Megan Rapinoe (left) says goodbye to the USA national team after a disappointing World Cup
Quelle: Getty Images/Robert Cianflone
From the start it was a gripping game with clear advantages for the defending champion. Midfielder Smith was denied by Swedish goalkeeper Zecira Musovic in the 54th minute. Coach Vlatko Andonovski’s US side were pushing for the opening goal at this stage, and Lindsey Horan’s shot went just wide (57′). The Swedes got their first good chance late, Sofia Jakobsson failed in the 85th minute. Musovic saved on the other side of the field a little later against Alex Morgan (89th).
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Sweden also struggled to keep the US team away from their own goal in extra time. However, the world champion team remained inefficient in the end. The decision therefore had to be made on penalties – and it turned out to be dramatic.
Sweden had already qualified for the round of 16 after just two games in the group stage. The USA, on the other hand, had to tremble in their group until the final whistle of the last preliminary round game. A goalless draw against Portugal was just enough to qualify for the knockout rounds.
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