US bounced from Women’s World Cup by Sweden on penalty kicks

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Sweden Shocks United States in World Cup Upset

Lina Hurtig’s converted penalty kick sent shockwaves through‍ the Women’s ⁢World‌ Cup as Sweden knocked‌ out the reigning‍ champions, the United States, in a thrilling match that ended in a scoreless draw. The game went into extra time, making it the first match of the tournament to do so.

The United ⁢States, with ⁢a record four World‌ Cup titles and aiming ⁤for an unprecedented third consecutive win,⁢ suffered a historic defeat, being eliminated in the Round of 16 for the ⁢first ‌time ‍in their history. Their previous worst finish was third place, achieved three times.

Sweden, a team that has never‍ won a major international tournament, including the World Cup and the Olympics, celebrated their ‍victory with the stadium playing Abba’s iconic “Dancing Queen.” This is ‍not the first time Sweden ⁣has caused an upset against the United States, as they knocked them out of the 2016 Olympics in⁣ the quarterfinals on penalties.

Intense Battle and Dominance

The match was a tense affair from the opening whistle, ‌with both teams displaying their determination ⁣to win. The Americans looked dominant, controlling ⁢possession‌ and outshooting the Swedes 5-1 in the first half alone. However, their efforts were thwarted by Sweden’s goalkeeper, Zecira Musovic, ⁢who made six saves in regulation ‌time.

Lindsey Horan came close‌ to scoring for the United States with⁤ a header that hit the crossbar in the first half, and a ‌powerful shot in the second half that was saved⁤ by ⁢Musovic. Despite their strong performance, the Americans struggled to find the back of the net throughout​ the tournament, scoring only four goals in three matches.

Sweden, on the ⁣other hand, won all three of their group games, including a resounding 5-0 victory⁣ over Italy. Coach Peter Gerhardsson made nine lineup changes for the match against the United States, strategically resting his starters in preparation for the tough encounter.

End of an​ Era

The match marked the end of an era for two influential‌ players. Rose Lavelle,⁢ a key player for the United States, was‌ unable to participate⁤ due to a suspension after receiving her second yellow card in the group stage. Megan Rapinoe, who previously announced that this would be her last World Cup, made her 200th appearance for ⁤the national team in this tournament. Rapinoe took on a smaller role, coming off the bench in two games and not playing in the middle match.

Sweden’s Caroline Seger, the most capped woman in Europe with 235 appearances, started the match ⁣on the bench due to a calf⁢ problem. Despite her ​absence, Sweden fought valiantly and nearly scored in the final ‌minutes of regulation‌ time.

Sweden’s victory​ sets up a quarterfinal clash with Japan, the 2011 World ​Cup winners, who defeated Norway 3-1 in their Round ​of 16 match. As the tournament progresses, the stage is set for more thrilling encounters and unexpected outcomes.

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