USA 0 Sweden 0 (Sweden win on pens)
A dramatic penalty shoot-out in the second round of the Women’s World Cup 2023 saw the US Women knocked out of the tournament by Sweden. The US Women exit the tournament having conceded just one goal in four games.
After batting for 90 minutes plus 30 minutes extra-time, neither Sweden nor the USA could produce a goal, so the game was decided on penalty kicks.
US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher almost saved Sweden’s winning kick, only to see it trickle over the line in agonizing fashion to ensure that the USWNT made their earliest ever exit from the World Cup.
“We just lost the World Cup by a millimeter. That’s tough,” said Naeher, who successfully converted her own penalty kick. “I am proud of the fight of the team. We knew we hadn’t done our best in the group stage, and we wanted a complete team performance, and the team came out and played great.”
VAR was needed to confirm that the Swedish penalty kick had indeed made it over the goal line.
“I know we were criticized for the way we played, at different moments [in this tournament],” Said Vlatko Andonovski, the U.S. coach. “I think we came out today and showed what we’re all about. The grit, the resilience, the fight, the bravery. Unfortunately, soccer can be cruel sometimes.”
Line Ups
USA
1. Naeher (GK) — 19. Dunn, 4. Girma, 8. Ertz, 23. Fox (O’Hara, 120′) — 10. Horan, , 14. Sonnett (Mewis, 120′), 17. Sullivan — 20. Rodman (L. Williams, 66′), 13. Morgan (Rapinoe, 99′), 11. Smith.
Sweden
1. Musovic (GK) — 14. Bjorn, 13. Ilestedt, 6. Eriksson, 2. Andersson — 16. Angeldal, 23. Rubensson — 19. Kaneryd (Jakobsson, 82′), 9. Asllani (Hurtig, 82′), 18. Rolfo — 11. Blackstenius (Blomqvist, 111′).
