The U.S. Women’s National Team emerged from its lackluster and heavily criticized state on Sunday to deliver an outstanding performance in the World Cup, although it was ultimately too late as they bid farewell. Despite being traditionally ranked as the top team in the world and the reigning two-time champion, the U.S. team was eliminated by Sweden after an intense match that required 120 minutes of play and a record-breaking seven penalty shootouts, ultimately resulting in a 5-4 victory for Sweden. Ranked third in the world, Sweden will advance to the quarterfinals to face Japan. This early elimination marks a significant setback for the U.S. women, who have consistently reached at least the semifinals in the history of the World Cup. Now, the USWNT must confront several questions regarding its future and the direction it will take.
This transition of personnel is evident, as a younger generation takes the spotlight, while older stars like Megan Rapinoe (38 and retiring), Alex Morgan (34), Kelley O’Hara (35), Julie Ertz and Crystal Dunn (both 31), and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (35) may have played their final World Cup matches representing the United States. It is a valid argument (or excuse) to suggest that the USWNT’s struggles in the group stage, which included one uninspiring win and two draws, are a consequence of the sport’s global evolution. The team can no longer rely solely on its reputation and dominance; other teams such as Sweden have proven to be formidable opponents. This was evident in Sunday’s match, where the American women had 11 shots on goal compared to Sweden’s solitary attempt.
Similar to the way Tiger Woods once set the standard of dominance in golf, intimidating his competitors with an imaginary three-shot lead before starting a tournament, the USWNT’s competitors have caught up, while the team’s performance has stagnated. However, luck has also played a role in the team’s journey. The USWNT narrowly escaped elimination in the group stage when a shot hit the post in the 92nd minute against Portugal. Coach Vlatko Andonovski and several players emphasized the cruel nature of soccer, but this cruelty is not unique to the sport. Portugal also experienced heartbreak when a shot hit the crossbar and prevented them from advancing.
Although an argument could be made that the U.S. women deserved to win on Sunday, they perhaps didn’t deserve to win their final group stage game against Portugal, relying on fortune to scrape through to the knockout stage. Ultimately, the USWNT’s downfall in this World Cup can be attributed to the inability to score goals. Throughout the tournament, they only managed to score four goals in four matches, with a goalless drought lasting 238 minutes. Alex Morgan, once a prolific goal scorer and the face of the program, was unable to find the back of the net and described the loss as devastating.
The most bitter pill to swallow was the missed opportunities during the penalty shootouts. After successfully converting their first three penalty kicks and gaining the upper hand when Sweden’s Nathalie Bjorn missed her attempt, Megan Rapinoe, one of the most decorated players in USWNT history, skyed her shot over the crossbar. Following a save by Naeher on Rebecka Blomqvist, 22-year-old Sophia Smith missed her chance completely. And then, with victory relying on her right foot, Kelley O’Hara, playing in her fourth World Cup for the U.S., hit the post, paving the way for Sweden’s Lina Hurtig to secure the win. Despite creating numerous scoring opportunities, the U.S. team was unable to capitalize on them, while Swedish goalkeeper Zecira Musovic made exceptional saves throughout the match. The defeat will undoubtedly haunt the USWNT for a long time.
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