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U.S. Knocked Out Of Women’s World Cup After Dramatic Loss To Sweden

August 7, 2023

Topline

The United States women’s national soccer team had its dreams of a three-peat dashed Sunday morning, when a dramatic shootout led to the top-ranked team’s elimination from the World Cup in a match against Sweden that ended 6 to 5 and had its final goal verified by a video-assisted referee.

USA players react as Sophia Smith of USA misses her team’s fifth penalty in the penalty shoot out … [+] during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Sweden and USA at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on August 6, 2023. Photo by Quinn Rooney

Getty Images

Key Facts

The Americans were knocked out of the World Cup on a penalty kick after finishing 0-0 in extra time and then bouncing back and forth during kicks—U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher managed to first block the shot of Sweden’s Lina Hurtig, but it crossed back over the goal line and she couldn’t save it again.

Swedish goalkeeper Zecira Musovic made 11 saves to keep her team in the match before the shootout, and Sweden’s Nathalie Björn and U.S. star Megan Rapinoe both missed their penalty kicks before the finish.

It’s the worst-ever World Cup exit before the semi-finals for the U.S. team, who won the last two competitions in 2015 and 2019, and were considered strong contenders to win the tournament again this year.

Tangent

The Americans finished second in Group E in the group stages to make it to the Round of 16—the U.S. first beat Vietnam 3-0, then drew the Netherlands 1-1 and Portugal 0-0 in the group stage.

Crucial Quote

“It’s probably my last game ever being able to have the honor to wear this crest,” said Julie Ertz, 31, who has been on the U.S. national team since 2013.

Julie Ertz of the United States reacts after loosing during the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & … [+] New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Sweden and the United States on August 6, 2023. Photo by Brad Smith

Getty Images for USSF

Key Background

The U.S. team has won the FIFA Women’s World Cup more than any other country, with four total victories. Nine players on this year’s national team were on the 2019 championship team, and five were on the 2015 team, including Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Julie Ertz. Rapinoe said earlier this summer that she would retire at the end of this season. The U.S. has held the No. 1 spot in FIFA’s ranking for years and the Americans were the odds-on favorite to win again, but several teams were considered contenders for the title, including England, Spain and France—all of whom are still in the tournament. No country has ever won three consecutive men’s or women’s World Cups.

Surprising Fact

Two of the U.S. national team games broke records for women’s FIFA World Cup viewership. The match against the Netherlands on July 26 was watched by 6.4 million Americans, making it the most-watched ever in a group stage. The July 21 win over Vietnam was watched by 5.3 million people in the U.S. and is the third most-viewed group stage game in Women’s World Cup history behind the 2019 U.S. game against Chile in second place.

Megan Rapinoe of USA is dejected after their team was defeated in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Photo … [+] by Alex Grimm

FIFA via Getty Images

Big Number

Third. That’s the highest-ranking FIFA team still left in the competition. USA is ranked first and the second-ranked team, Germany, was eliminated earlier this week after a draw against South Korea. Sweden is ranked third, followed by England in fourth and France in fifth.

What To Watch For

Who will take home the title. England will play Nigeria Monday for a chance to compete against the winner of a Colombia-Jamaica matchup scheduled for Tuesday. Host country Australia will play Denmark Monday and the winner of that match will face the winner of the France-Morocco game, also scheduled for Tuesday. Spain and the Netherlands will compete in a quarter-final match Thursday and the winner will compete against either Japan or Sweden, which will play each other Friday.