USWNT crashes out of World Cup after agonizing shootout loss to Sweden

The quest for a third straight World Cup ends in the round of 16

The U.S. women’s national team is out.

After a lackluster group stage, the USWNT fell to Sweden in a penalty kick shootout in the round of 16, clinching the team’s worst-ever finish at a World Cup.

The manner of the exit, which followed a 0-0 draw over 120 minutes, was simply agonizing.

Megan Rapinoe, Sophia Smith and Kelley O’Hara all missed penalties in the shootout. Smith had the chance to send the USWNT through to the quarterfinals with her spot kick, but the reigning U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year shot wide.

Incredibly, Sweden’s winning penalty looked like it was saved by Alyssa Naeher but after a VAR review, the ball was shown to have barely crossed the line.

It was this close.

It was a devastating end to what was by far the USWNT’s best display of the World Cup. But after a poor group stage saw them finish second, the USWNT’s quest for a third straight title was always going to be difficult.

The major pre-game shift saw the U.S. move from the 4-3-3 formation it had utilized the whole tournament to a 4-2-3-1, with Emily Sonnett coming in as a holding midfielder in place of the suspended Rose Lavelle.

The move, while perhaps forced to due Lavelle’s suspension, was transformative for the USWNT, who looked like an entirely different side to the one Andonovski himself said was “crap” in its group finale against Portugal.

Suddenly with passing options in the midfield, the U.S. showed an ability to build up it had not displayed in a worrying group stage. Against one of the tournament’s best teams, the USWNT was firmly on the front foot in the first half, only lacking a goal in a much improved display.

The U.S. continued to push in the second half as Sweden appeared mostly content to absorb pressure. But as Peter Gerhardsson’s side was pushed back more and more, it had to rely on its goalkeeper to make two excellent saves to keep the match level.

First, Zećira MuÅ¡ović somehow dove to her left to keep out Lindsey Horan’s 53rd-minute rocket that appeared destined for the far corner.

Mušović was there again in the dying moments of regulation to claw out an Alex Morgan header to ensure the match went into extra time.

As it did during regulation, the USWNT had the better of the chances in extra time and just like she did during regulation, Mušović was up to the challenge.

Lynn Williams had the best chance of extra time for the U.S. but MuÅ¡ović dove low to her right to keep out the substitute’s effort.

MuÅ¡ović’s efforts in getting her side to a penalty shootout were richly rewarded. Sweden will move on to face Japan in a marquee quarterfinal matchup while for the USWNT, the recriminations are only begininng.

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